Monday 8 December 2014

The Organized Cancer Patient

There is an awful lot of feeling out of control when you are diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly your body doesn’t seem like your own and things are happening to you that you are not able to stop or slow down. Your life is suddenly taken over with doctors appointments, tests, and treatment procedures that were previously nowhere in our plans. It can feel like you have been kidnapped from your own life and your own body.

That’s why it’s so important for those undergoing treatment for cancer to maintain some semblance of control of their lives and bodies. Let’s face it - there are many details to manage when you are undergoing treatment and just staying organized with everything can seem like a small feat. But maintaining this organization can also go a long way towards keeping you mentally focused and feeling like an active participant in your own life. Try these tips for staying organized during your cancer care:

•    Keep doctor appointments, tests, treatments, and other procedures on a big central calendar that can be accessed by the entire family. It can help you to organize rides if you need them, schedule other activities around your treatment, and overall keep everyone on the same page regarding what the week holds for you.

•    Go over any insurance or healthcare related paperwork once a week or every two weeks. Undergoing any type of treatment means the mail begins to come fast and furious carrying a variety of information. When you’re feeling already overwhelmed, it can be tempting to throw that mail to the side and forget about it. There’s no reason that you should have to deal with it every day but setting a schedule that you and your family members stick to regarding bills and other paperwork connected to your treatment is a good idea for staying ahead of something that can easily get out of control if it’s ignored for too long.

•    Make a meal schedule. Many people undergoing cancer treatment experience fatigue and lack of energy, as well as sickness in some cases. You’re not always going to want to eat but it’s important that you have healthy meals and snacks at the ready to keep up your energy. Talk to family members about rotating the responsibilities of the house including cleaning and cooking so that general upkeep is being managed and it’s not on one person’s shoulders.

Staying organized just requires a little extra preparation and before long - once everyone is in a routine - things will run smoothly, allowing you to focus on getting healthy.

Click here to find out of treatment procedure followed by one of the leading cancer care center.