Every patient who goes through something like cancer is bound to be overwhelmed at one time or another. It's only natural to feel like cancer has enveloped your life and taken it over. I have even had those moments where I felt like, "Gee, everything in my life is centered around cancer one way or another...even going to the dentist." Well, this is about changing that attitude.
As important as Hodgkin's is in our lives right now, it is not forever. Or at least it doesn't have to be our main, and sometimes only, focus. It's important to keep priorities in the rest of your life even as you are going through treatments and dealing with all the related doctors appointments and blood tests. This doesn't mean that you should give up control of your treatment or lose interest in learning about your disease and it's consequences, but rather it means that you should not forget about everything else.
Everyone who has cancer becomes very familiar with statistics. Everyone can quote this statistic or that one. You know, "chances of relapse are...", "odds of hair loss are...", "odds you will hear a statistic about statistics are...." So, here is another without the numbers: Your chances of full recovery are higher if you keep active in the rest of your life. Patients who set goals and live for the future respond more positively to the treatment.
What sorts of goals should you set? Well, that is a very individual thing. Myself, I decided that I was going to graduate with my masters in Student Counseling and Personnel Services *on time*. I also applied to the Sociology masters program for fall 1996. I was going to do it before I got Hodgkin's, and I was not going to let some disease stand in my way! So, do whatever feels right to you. But remember never to give up because you have a lot to look forward to!
Below are some quotes from Hubert Sudhues of Germany. He has lgNHL IVa, Type Immunozytoma. He also has been kind enough to let me reprint these excerpts here. I believe that he makes a wonderful case for setting goals:
"When the MD told me to have cancer the feeling was like fall and fall and fall... ... and no ground...
Next day I made a walk with my dog: I never heard the birds singing so nice before, never saw such a green grass... How much time left??? Never listen to the birds again??? Never walk with the dog again??? Never ever see green grass??? Never hear the sound of the wind in the trees again???
Then I had to fight[...]."
"I built up new friendships outside of the hospital, founded an archery-club and became the headmaster, married my long-time girlfriend in order to save the widows-pension for her, started to sing in a church-choir (at that time I had problems with my lungs, so I had to train them... ;-))) and went to university again in order to write a medical theses.
Today I have lots of new duties, and I love them... ;-)
Believe me: Life is senseless: You have to give it a sense.
Having cancer you have to look for a goal."
It will help you get through, just ask Hubert, or me!
Copyright 1996, 1997. Last updated July 23, 1997.