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Yes, everyone, it is often hard to "think outside the cancer box."
Our whole being get involved in this ongoing fight for our life.
We have to summon up new ways to fight the mental fatigue that research and dealing with all the information brings, the psychic fatigue that comes as we find we have to visit the prospect of our mortality head on, and physical fatigue that comes with the toxic drugs and treatment routine.
All this is BESIDES the normal daily life tasks we have to keep doing for ourselves and our families and friends. It is like we take on an ADDED life to live - and suddenly, so we have no time to get used to it.
No wonder this disease can take over as our energy wanes and the "new normal" takes over.
Two good ideas brought out above.
Tom said to get birdfeeders and watch the hummingbirds. I did just that last year, and got another bird bath and put it under a red leaf maple near the kitchen window. We always had a lot of birds, but nothing to draw them nearer to the large back windows where I can watch them more closely. I also put out some stale bread and the crumbs of the cereal boxes near the bird bath. The squirrels enjoy all that as well. But I try not to feed them - the neighbor puts out peanuts in the shells and they come over to eat or bury them in our property.
Mother Nature has a lot to offer us if we take the time and opportunity.
Tricia mentioned telling people that she is "fighting cancer" not "has cancer." This is the same thing I tell people: I have been fighting cancer for the past five years pretty intensely. That it is something chronic with me like my allergies and I have to take measure to keep it under control and monitor it for when it gets out of control. That I always try to work my way back and regain some stamina to go forward with my life. And this IS work. It is a life cycle that I accept as my lot in life now, and try to get in as much good fun and accomplish things between the treatment times.
If, as Lisa has, one has to stay on treatment and never get up past a certain energy level, that is an even more difficult problem. But don't let negative thoughts ruin your day, just acknowledge them and chase them away with some nice music or a walk in a lovely environment. Music can do a lot to lift me out of a "bad" space.
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