Positive Thinking
During the period of treatment you will have many ups and downs, as we did.
Although the initial shock of the diagnosis will fade, and you will at least feel that
action is being taken to deal with the illness,worries about your child’s progress
and prognosis may keep you awake at night particularly if treatment is slower
than hoped or things don’t go according to plan.
Striving to be positive about the future can help you deal with the treatment
and the inevitable side effects. Support from close family and friends, and your
church if you attend, can help keep your spirits up while you’re on this stressful
and emotional rollercoaster.Many people believe that positive thinking can have
a tangible effect on how you cope with an illness and at the very least it can help
maintain the stability of your child’s home environment, as well as minimise the
impact of the illness on the family unit.
It is vital that you try to maintain your social activities when you can as this keeps
your lives as ‘normal’ as possible and gives you a well-earned break from the
worry and stress you will inevitably feel as your child goes through the treatment
process.We found that we adjusted our social activity, for example Katie’s friends
would come to visit instead of her going out to play, and friends and family would
come to our house for dinner so that we didn’t have to travel.
It can be a good idea to discuss some short-term targets for the whole family
to enjoy, perhaps when you begin to work out your child’s ‘best days’within the
treatment cycle. A family trip to the cinema or a favourite restaurant will give you
some quality time together as well as distracting you from your worries, if only for
a short period.
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Section 2