The FDA revokes approval of Avastin for breast cancer. What's a survivor to do?
Healthy Survivors look at things the way they are. Not the way they think things should be or want things to be. Then Healthy Survivors nourish whatever hopes help them take effective action and live as fully as possible under the circumstances.
KNOWLEDGE: Review all your treatment options as unemotionally as you can. Work with your physicians to determine the best option(s) for you at this time, based on what is known. If your first-choice therapy is difficult to obtain for whatever reason, learn about people who advocate for patients like you to help you obtain your first-choice treatment. Meanwhile, determine the next-best option for you at this time.
HOPE: Nourish hope of improvement, with or without the benefit of your first-choice treatment. Nourish other hopes that help you accept the situation, push for what recovery is possible and find some happiness today.
ACTION: Act on your knowledge and hope. Some Healthy Survivors find meaning -- and joy -- in raising awareness of the problem or testifying to Congress. Other Healthy Survivors avoid any discussions of politics and policy, finding meaning and joy in everyday living.
Feel whatever you feel. Then choose what you will do with what you feel. Guidance and support are usually needed to help some of the anger and grief dissipate more quickly, freeing you to embrace the life you have and experience what joys are still possible.
Always bringing us back to the guiding principles of Healthy Survivors, knowledge, hope and action. Thank you, Wendy. Also walking the talk by adapting to the requirements of settling your mother in and letting folks know. Setting a good example. Thank you. Andrea
Posted by: Andrea Gauthier | January 13, 2012 at 12:59 PM