Creating a Support Network
Asking for help isn’t easy, but helping is exactly what the people who care for you want to do. With that in mind, it’s useful to think about the areas of life that feel heavier than others and consider talking to people who can lighten your physical, mental and emotional load. Some suggestions are:
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Choose a family member, a friend and/or a coworker to give updates to others regarding your progress;
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Have someone close to you accompany you to doctor’s appointments for moral support and to act as an extra set of ears to gather information;
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Ask to tape record the visit;
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Enlist the help of a friend or neighbor to baby sit or entertain your children, both to give you a break and to draw the children’s attention away from your illness;
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Contact breast cancer survivors, such as those at the YourShoesTM Contact Center, who can share their experiences and provide camaraderie when you feel alone with the illness;
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Choose a family member or set up a chore/errand schedule on Lotsa Helping Hands. That way, you can delegate chores, such as washing the dishes or grocery shopping, when you feel tired or sick;
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Enlist friends and family to help you celebrate important milestones, such as completing a treatment.
This article was frist printed in Lifeline.