Emotional

Is it possible to maintain hope when doctors confront you with information that is far from positive? It’s jarring to hold two contradictory thoughts at once – to fully hear the statistics and grasp the reality of the situation, while at the same time nurturing and kindling real hope. These resources examine this dichotomy and may help you maintain that balance.

Articles:

• “A Pink-Ribbon Race, Years Long,” Roni Caryn Rabin
• “At Diagnosis: Dealing With Emotions,” Cure Magazine
• “Facing Breast Cancer Recurrence,” Lillie Shockney, RN (Video, right)
• “Human Side of Cancer: Living With Hope, Coping With Uncertainty,” Jimmie C. Holland, MD
• “Keeping Priorities Straight, Even At the End,” Tara Parker-Pope

• “Living on the Edge,” Kathy LaTour
• “Living With Uncertainty,” Coping Magazine
• “Overcoming the Emotional Challlenges of Cancer,” Dawn Speckhart, PhD
• “Targeted Therapy: Hope or Hype?” Laura Beil
• “The Other Side of the Coin,” Michael Lundblad
• “Women with Advanced Breast Cancers Feel Left Out & Forgotten,” by Liz Szabo

Websites:

• Cancer Crusades’s Survivor Movie
• Coping Magazine
• LiveSTRONG
• Patient Voices: Lung Cancer
• Patient Voices: Pancreatic Cancer
• Stories of Hope

Living every day with uncertainty can be nerve-wracking and draining. Facing fears, admitting anger and rage, acknowledging the worry, and containing the panic – none of these tasks you face are easy. When so much of your time and thoughts are centered on seriousness, it’s imperative to give yourself a break. Then you can be refreshed to take the next step. Humor can be a great antidote. Upbeat friends and carefree (sometimes goofy!) children can really help redirect you. Being humorously sarcastic, macabre and funny comes naturally to some people. These people can lighten your mood. Find them, listen to them and see how they can change their perspective and yours. Look for them in movies, on comedy channels, in a book, in humor columns or – perhaps the best kind – in person. Here are a few favorite humor sites.

Articles:

• “Therapeutic Benefits of Humor,” Holistic Online
• “Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter,” Holistic Online
• “Humor and Cancer? Don’t Make Me Laugh!” University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Websites:

• Comedy Central
• Comics
• The Onion