Sorry for the slight delay in posting. This week has tured into one crazy week. It has gone from only having to go to the hospital two days, to having to go to the hospital everyday from tuesday to friday.
Tuesday is finally over. I knew that the anticipation of the bone marrow biopsy and aspiration were have a huge affect on me but you never really realize the full grasp it has on you until it is over. After the procedure, as I laid on the stretcher letting the hole in my lower back clot up, I could just feel the waves of tension and stress releasing from my body. Going into this process I knew that that procedure personally was the biggest mental hurdle to get over. Why is it so tough you might ask? It is really quite simple. It hurts a lot to have it done. Of all the things I have gone through in this process it is head and shoulders above the rest.
The other interesting realization I had is just how bad stress really is on you. You would think that going through cancer treatment would be really stressful but truthfully I haven't felt to much stress at all (except the first week of diagnosis and this past week). If you notice a trend it is around the bone marrow procedures :) It is funny because when you are living your day to day life you really don't realize how much stress you are truly under. It isn't until that lifestyle is taken away to you really realize. The most ironic part is all the stresses are usually being fabricated from things that really aren't of the utmost importance. The week before I was diagnosed while we were still living our regular lives Amy and I both felt incredibly high levels of stress. The funny part is a week later after being in the hospital for a couple days we couldn't even remember what was stressing us out so much.
Going through this process I think I have found two lessons when it comes to stress. First, make sure you are enjoying your time at home. By enjoying your time, you will relax much more and take your mind off of the things that cause stress. I have found the best way is through taking up hobbies. Who would have thought that going through the fight for my life would have been the least stressful time in years ;)
Second, when you are feeling stressed take time to reflect on what is causing you this. Often times you can't remove the stress yourself (like waiting for a big presentation, or bone marrow procedure) as it will be removed once the stressor is done. But while waiting for this to occur it is very important to identify what is causing you to be stressed so it doesn't take you over with anxiety. Once you have identified what is causing you to be stressed the second part is to find ways to reduce it. Physical exercise is a wonderful way to reduce stress, even as simple as going for a walk in fresh air. You can even use even simpler methods such as listening to relaxing music or even just focused breathing with your eyes closed. It has been proven that by just focusing on taking long deep breaths you can actually reduce your pulse rate, blood pressure, and increase the oxygen level in your blood! This is extremely important because stress actually increases you pulse and blood pressure and lowers your oxygen levels which is extremely harmful for your body in prolonged exporsures.
So next time you are feeling stressed, take time to reflect on what is actually stressing you. Often once you have done this you will realize that there is really nothing to stress about. If the stress stays with you, make sure you find ways to control and minimize the stress levels on your body until the stressor is removed.
Well that is what I have learnt so far. If anyone has any tips they want to share, I would love to hear them! (please is you post with the anonymous function, sign your name at the end so I know who is sharing :) ) Well off to the hospital for Day 3 :D
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I must agree with you Aaron. I also feel that if we were to sit down and actually think about what is upsetting/stressing us, we'd find that it's really not as bad as we perceive it to be. Problems can't be dealt with if the mind is anxious and flitting about. Communication is a skill that most of us haven't learned so couples flounder in conveying their needs and wants...which leads to stress! I very much like the idea of controlled breathing as I've developed high blood pressure so will try and get into the routine of relaxing while focusing on long, deep breaths...as you've suggested! Thanks:) I hope the hole in your lower back clotted up properly....that sentence sure got my attention!
ReplyDeleteHappy writings my friend!
Something that helps me cope with and reduce stress is to essentially confront the stressor usually with acceptance. If it is something that I cannot do anything about or do anything to make it better, then I don't allow myself to worry about it. I accept if for what it is, put it out of my mind the best I can and keep going. If it IS something I can control or influence then I just make sure that I've done the best I can to make the outcome the best it can be. Sounds simple enough but took me a while and a lot of conscious effort to make it work for me. And of course, for the really tough things, I've learned to take advantage of leaning on loved ones whether it's friends, family or my kitties.
ReplyDeleteKeep up your positive outlook...your strength is inspiring!