Re: [Wellness] Handling side effects

["Karen Patterson" <Patterson@womens-wellness.com>]

Hilary,
Thank you so much for your input.  Many survivors feel very frustrated with
the lingering side effects of cancer treatment especially "chemo brain".
You just gave everyone permission to move on gracefully.  Accept what you
cannot change and live a full life.  I sometimes get so exasperated at still
not having a good memory for spelling and my arm not working properly.  As a
teacher for 20 years spelling and penmanship were so important to me.  But
after five years of slight improvement I also accept my faults.  I can only
do what I can do and I am honest with my family and friends about it.  If my
letter contains mistakes and crossouts.  Sorry but I did my best.  Sharing
experiences and ways to cope help everyone so much.  Thanks and have the
loveliest of holiday seasons.
My best regards for health and wellness,
Karen Patterson, Founder of Womens-Wellness.com and a breast cancer survivor

-----Original Message-----
From: wellness-bounces@womens-wellness.com
[mailto:wellness-bounces@womens-wellness.com]On Behalf Of Hilary
Drysdale
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 7:09 AM
To: wellness@womens-wellness.com
Subject: [Wellness] Dear Karen /Re: Wellness Digest, Vol 18, Issue 1


wellness-request@womens-wellness.com wrote:

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>Today's Topics:
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>   1. Recommended reading for all (Karen Patterson)
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>----------------------------------------------------------------------
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>Message: 1
>Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2006 08:32:32 -0500
>From: "Karen Patterson" <Patterson@womens-wellness.com>
>Subject: [Wellness] Recommended reading for all
>To: "Wellness List" <wellness@womens-wellness.com>
>Message-ID:
>	<NEBBLCDEKLCOEJPMCCFCKEAILAAB.Patterson@womens-wellness.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
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>Hi everyone,
>
>I hope everyone had a nice holiday and remembered to be thankful for all
our
>health, happiness, and each other--the community of survivors who support
>our challenges daily.  I just finished listening to the audio book (a habit
>which began with radiations long daily drive) "Saving Graces" by Elizabeth
>Edwards.  You may remember that she is the wife of John Edwards who ran for
>vice president with Kerry.  He is considering a run for president and this
>book gives tremendous insight into this the hardwired makeup of this man.
>You may also remember that she was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks
>before the campaign ended.  She also lost a son at the age of 16 in a car
>accident.  She said after that nothing in her life could be worse--not even
>breast cancer.  It is a remarkable book that made me cry often and got me
>several funny looks at the pharmacy  and bank drive up windows.  This book
>can be helpful to everyone regardless of cancer.  It is poignant and real
>and filled with the "graces" we learn and internalize after these horrible
>challenges. I listen to audio books in the car because I still can not
focus
>enough to read an entire book.  I have three sitting next to my reading
>chair all waiting to be finished.  I found that I can attend to audio books
>if there are no  other noise distractions so even though I only travel
about
>20 miles a week and have to keep renewing them at the library I get much
>more out of the book.  This would also make a great gift for someone in
your
>life.
>
>My best for whole wellness,
>Karen Patterson, Founder of Womens-Wellness.com and a breast cancer
survivor
>
>
>
>------------------------------
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>End of Wellness Digest, Vol 18, Issue 1
>***************************************
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>
Enjoyed your letter, Karen. It's taken me a long time to improve my
concentration after treatment three years ago, and I have used audio
books too. It's very nice to be read to, sometimes. I go to bed much
earlier nowadays with a collection of tapes, music, magazines and books,
for a relaxing time before I put out the light.
I get tired easily everyday still, but with a little organization I
manage to fit in my former hobbies and interests and have even struck up
a new one! Family history.
I regard everything I do as an achievement, no matter how small the
'job', from repairing a favourite brooch to writing letters to friends,
so life feels full in a really nice way.
It's very different to the way I used to be, of course, but I delight in
surprising myself at what I can do, even without much strength or energy
to call upon. What I can't do now, I have no qualms about asking for help.
So I encourage everyone to simply do what you can do, and praise
yourself in full measure. It's no mean feat to manage such illness and
rebuild your life at the same time, and it's probably the best thing you
will ever do.
Seasons greetings to everyone, Hilary (in the UK)
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