- November 2, 2020
- Cancer blog
By Gary Maavara
If you’ve been following my blogs, you know that I’m Gary, I have cancer, and I feel it’s important to share some of the lessons and insights I’ve learned on this precarious path. I hope you will share too, since we’re all in this thing I call ‘The Club.’ I’m also happy to share special photos from my personal portfolio. This one reminds us … what will be will bee.
#7. Get fit.
Just do it. Get some exercise. Get a trainer if you can afford it or take classes online. It took me a long time to do this as my skeleton is covered in lesions and is weak. But I finally got started and I am so happy I did it. Don’t wait!
Good fitness will help you mentally and physically. That’s not news but I forgot as I started this journey.
#8. Remember the Other Stuff
Your cancer team will be focused on your disease. That said there are lots of other parts of your body that need care. So make sure you go to the dentist and see the optometrist. Talk to your family doctor about other things. Sometimes they can help you make sense of the cancer information too.
Just make sure you treat the other parts of your body. Doing so will help with the cancer challenge.
#9. It is a waiting game so put it to good use.
Any medical situation means you are going to spend time waiting. Waiting for tests to be done. Waiting for examinations and consultations. Waiting for prescriptions and waiting for bureaucracies.
So be strategic about it. People will usually be able to tell you how long the wait will be to allow you to go exploring.
For example, there is always a clean and quiet bathroom in a hospital. Find it. Your mind and body will thank you.
Find a quiet places to rest or meditate.
Find out where people hang out. I had a situation where the pharmacy would not release my drugs because they needed to talk to the doctor first. I took the pharmacist to where the doctors chill out. She was thrilled to find out about it.
Wander around and learn where everything is. It will benefit you on the day when you need to get there fast. It’s also fun and you can help others too, which is a bonus.
