What tips will help me get through the holiday during breast cancer treatments?
Crowded shopping malls, Christmas carols and the smell of fresh baked cookies surround us as the holiday season comes into full swing.
For many, the holidays are a time to celebrate and spend time with family, but for those dealing with a cancer diagnosis, the season can be a time of overwhelming stress. Your usual traditions may be interrupted by treatment needs or unpleasant side effects.
Here are a few pointers to get you through the holiday season in one piece:
- Give yourself permission to feel and express your feelings. Let yourself laugh or cry.
- Take care of yourself! This means eating balanced meals and making time for exercise.
- Allow yourself some simple pleasures. Hot baths, naps or favorite foods.
- Find distractions like going to the movies, catching a show of the Nutcracker or even going to a comedy show.
- Prepare ahead for the holidays. Decide if you want to keep certain traditions or if you want to make new ones.
- Enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, meal preparations and cleanup.
- Don’t pressure yourself with unrealistic expectations.
- Don’t plan too much per day
- Don’t abandon healthy habits. Drink and eat in moderation.
Author: Brandy (Korman) Haslam
For many, the holidays are a time to celebrate and spend time with family, but for those dealing with a cancer diagnosis, the season can be a time of overwhelming stress. Your usual traditions may be interrupted by treatment needs or unpleasant side effects.
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