The worry and anxiety of cancer and its treatment can weigh heavy on the hearts and minds of family members. We tend to project our fears onto the future, imagining what will come and how it will come, or we bury our heads in the sand, like ostriches, convinced there is no serious threat to life as we know it. The actual view is more balanced than that. There will be good days and bad days, just like real life. And just like with real life, you need to make an effort to continually connect to your loved one who is going through cancer treatment in meaningful ways.
It's easy to give in sometimes to the darkness, to believe there is little hope or little to be gained from the struggle. Caregivers need to understand that nurturing the heart is every bit as important as nurturing the body of a cancer patient. But how do you do that?
Inside every cancer patient, there is a person waiting to get out and about again. If he or she is hiding out at home, chances are good he or she is not living life. Caregivers can be a very positive influence on cancer patients when they find creative ways to encourage them to get back to the living. Sometimes, you just have to forget about the cancer and make time to dance, to laugh, even to sing.
We all need reminding sometimes of what we are inside -- we have hopes and dreams and desires waiting to be fulfilled. When cancer comes along, it can knock your loved one off his or her feet, and all that gets put aside. But sometimes the best way to get through cancer treatment is to pick it up again, to seize the day and declare that it's time to get back to the dance of life. That's how you take back the control. Cancer may take its toll on your loved one's body, and even mind at times. Finding ways to get around those limitations and enjoy life is can make a big difference in motivating your loved one to get through the tough times.
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