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Have you ever been so engulfed in your own crisis that you wondered how to find your way out? Try writing about it. You don’t have to be an author of note; you just have to record your experiences with complete truth. You may find it helps with your ability to cope with whatever crisis you are presently waging war against.
For many of us, the bladder cancer diagnosis, surgery, treatments, side-effects, recurrence, more surgery, fear of progression, actual progression, to chemo or not to chemo, diversion options and daily lifestyle alterations have created a whirlwind of emotions, anxieties and coping mechanisms. We are making it through day by day, crisis by crisis, disappointment by disappointment, victory by victory. It’s the only way to live.
Write your story. I have spent the past few months writing my own story from my own perspective and in my life’s context and value system. It has been an experience that is nostalgic, revealing, entertaining (to me), clarifying, enhancing while at the same time showing me my failures and weaknesses and giving me fresh motivation to do better in the future. While it will never make anybody’s best-seller list, I have enjoyed doing it for myself (my wife and parents also enjoyed it and several friends have asked for a copy if I ever decide to get it published – I’ll have to self-publish, of course).
I wonder how many anecdotes we could put together in a book about bladder cancer that would be a “Bladder Blessing.” Imagine the wealth of experience, both good and bad, that we could share with others who have yet to face what we have faced — sometimes with courage and grace, other times with profound weakness and anxiety. And what help such a collection of anecdotes would be to all of us!
Give it some thought. And if you find yourself beside yourself trying to cope, write down your struggles, your feelings, your emotions, your determined action plan, etc. Regardless of any book, it might just help you and give you a fresh perspective.
Just a thought. It’s merit is in the eye of the beholder.
Greg
Well for the first time, I happen to agree with you my friend. It is really is a great thing to do. Very healing. I’m with Greg on this one. I used to encourage my patients to do that. It was always helpful to those who dod. Thanks, Greg.
Kiowa
I think this is a great idea. However, some of us are readers not writers so I’ll leave the wit & humour to those of you that do it best. I’d be happy to purchase a copy though whenever it’s completed as the talented ones here do a fabulous job of expressing all the emotions we travel on this journey 🙂
FloI journalled at the beginning of my BC journey. I filled two school notebooks but what I wrote isn’t fit for print. It was full of anger like you wouldn’t believe. It was very cathartic to get it all out so to speak. I destroyed the books as I didn’t want anyone to read it. However I know now that I could rewrite with more wit and clarity as I have left the anger crap behind me. I think the book would be a great idea. How about a “Chicken Soup” type format?
That is a brilliant idea, Greg! I am sure it will help the writers as well as the readers, however I have to agree with Flo that some of us like me are born readers so we might not be able to share our experience and feelings in a positive or ‘chicken-soup’ way, or does that matter?
Kit
I think it helps the writers more than it helps the readers. It’s great therapy. Kit? did you imply that Greg is brilliant or just his idea? Greg and brilliant just don’t mix. And it’s also the name of his dog. Poor dog.
Kiowa
As deeply offended and mortally wounded as I am by Kiowa’s insensitive and hurtful comments, I agree that it helps the writer more than the reader (relax – I never take anything Kiowa says seriously! Goodness sakes, he thinks he is a doctor, for crying out loud).
My dog is offended too. But she’s brilliant and she’ll get over it. I on the other hand…I’m taking a “Creative Journaling” course through Wellspring Calgary. The facilitator prompts you in short writing sessions on a topic. Perfect grammar and writing ability are not prerequisites for this. Then we move on to arty stuff which can be as simple or as complex as you want it. The facilitator is a professional artist that donates her time to Wellspring and has all sorts of neat little tricks that can transform something hohum into more dramatic. The “tricks” are simple and easy to learn no matter what art level you are. I have found that a lot of pent up stuff has come out in the last couple of weeks but in a far more constructive way. I “arted” for over an hour last night as I wasn’t very tired and then after I finished I felt such a release and slept solid for 8 hours. Creative journaling offers a way of letting out and you can disguise what you wrote so if anyone looks at your book they won’t figure it out. I wished that I’d known about this years ago. I think I would have filled a library with journals. LOL!
Greg, Kiowa, you both are cute! Reading your comments can have some kind of calming or healing effects… 🙂
Marysue, ‘Creative Journaling’ sounds fantastic for anybody to vent stress or feelings. Brilliant!
By the way, Heart & Stroke foundation recently launched a ‘what will your last 10 years look like’ campaign. That is brilliant! Okay when I say brilliant, I mean it! 🙂
As a left brain person I thought that journaling was not for me. Although I have written some things over the years – totally for myself. Just to get thoughts out of my head, to make sense of some of the craziness and to release emotions.
I have found it to be very cathartic. So I would recommend to anyone to just write, let it flow, don’t worry about writing for some one else. Do it for yourself!
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