{"id":9800,"date":"2014-04-07T15:15:18","date_gmt":"2014-04-07T15:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.supportinglivestrong.nl\/supportinglivestrong\/?p=9800"},"modified":"2014-04-12T14:03:59","modified_gmt":"2014-04-12T14:03:59","slug":"leven-met-longkanker-drie-manieren-om-minder-te-vrezen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supportinglivestrong.nl\/supportinglivestrong\/leven-met-longkanker-drie-manieren-om-minder-te-vrezen\/","title":{"rendered":"Leven met longkanker – Drie manieren om minder te vrezen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three Ways to Fear Less<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

by Jennifer Glass<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.\u201d \u2013 Marie Curie<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing can prepare you for the day your doctor looks you in the eye and tells you that you have cancer. Few words have the power to cause such visceral fear.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"JG01\"

I learned that I have Stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer in January 2013, just four months after getting married. You can\u2019t anticipate how you\u2019ll react to news like this. In my case, I stayed calm. This led friends and family to say to me, \u201cJennifer, you\u2019re fearless!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not, of course. We all have fear, but we can find ways to fearless<\/i>. Taking fear out of the equation, even a little bit, enables us to think more clearly, make better decisions, and feel that we have some measure of control in the midst of chaos.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Here are three things that help me to stay strong and fear less:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Say it out loud<\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>When I was first diagnosed I wasn\u2019t sure how to tell people. A friend proposed that I avoid specific detail and simply say I\u2019d be out on medical leave. But I thought, no, people will think I\u2019m having liposuction or some problem with my lady parts, and will be too embarrassed to ask how I am.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I want to call it what it is. I have cancer. Metastatic lung cancer. And no, it\u2019s not from smoking.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When I tell people, I am overwhelmed by empathy and offers of help. In many cases when someone learns the exact nature of my illness I receive specific, relevant and useful information or advice.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Play to your strengths and ask for help<\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>I\u2019m an extremely organized person and for me it is comforting to create lists and spreadsheets to manage the flood of cancer-related information. I am not, however, anyone\u2019s idea of a domestic goddess, so I gratefully accepted when friends offered to arrange a meal caravan during the months of my chemo and radiation. By relinquishing responsibility for some activities I was better able to focus on dealing with my cancer without feeling overwhelmed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Knowledge is power
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>Knowledge is power but the internet is a double-edged sword, with too much information to absorb and much of it not pertinent. Organizations such as LIVE<\/span><\/span><\/span>STRONG <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>provide thorough and thoughtful <\/span><\/span><\/span>resources<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>, designed to help patients and their loved ones deal with cancer at every phase.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I am fortunate to work with a team of knowledgeable and responsive medical professionals, and I\u2019ll be forever grateful for their counsel, candor and kindness. Additionally, it\u2019s a great help to me to talk with people who have my kind of cancer, who\u2019ve have had my kinds of chemo (cisplatin and etoposide), and who struggle with the severe side effects of the medication I currently take (Tarceva).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Getting advice from professionals, talking with people who have what you have, finding local resources \u2013 these are all critical steps for building a support network that can help minimize our fear.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been living with cancer for a year now. There are days when this beast of a disease lays me low, but those days are the exception not the rule. Most often I am able to think clearly about my situation and not let fear cloud my judgment. Finding ways to fear less helps me to LIVE<\/span><\/span><\/span>STRONG<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"JG02\"

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– Watch Jennifer\u2019s video<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>
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