Fighting Back From Serious Illnesses

Ideas

When you find out you have a serious illness, everything changes dramatically. It takes all of your resources to not be overwhelmed with all the details of the illness, your fears of what might happen, the pain and sickness that accompanies the illness, as well as the treatment, as well as the day-to-day issues that still make up your life.

I worked for many years with people in these difficult situations. I learned a great deal doing this work. Keeping your spirit alive is incredibly important and, at times, difficult. Read and listen to anything that helps you deal emotionally with what is going on. Go to a therapist if you feel stuck. Ask for what you need. If someone doesn't pick up on it, don't give up. Ask someone else.

I have some books and audio material that you might find helpful, interesting, challenging, and maybe inspiring. Click on the Shop section of this website to find some of my material. If you have a group coping with some difficult situations and are looking for a speaker, I can bring something to the group that they can use.

Right Now, You're Alive!

If all you can focus on is if you die, I can put your mind at rest. You Will! Hopefully not for a long time, but you can count on it. The challenge you need to focus on is staying alive spiritually, psychologically, and emotionally while you are dealing with this illness. I have worked with many people who did not survive their illnesses. I have also worked with many people who are still alive after being given a small amount of time left. In fact, two books, Cancer and Hope - Charting a Survival Course (now called The Healing Journey) and I Will Live Today, I co-wrote with my friend Judy who was given six months to live over 40 years ago and she is still doing fine.

When we wrote our first book, Judy was insistent that we not use the word dying. She said that dying was just living with a focus on the end result. If you think that way, we're all "dying." Her point was you're living now. Some day you won't be, but you are now. You might be very sick or injured, but you are alive. You might need more help than you have ever needed physically and spiritually, but you are alive. Be alive. If you're scared, you're scared. If you're depressed about it, you're depressed. Get help to deal with those issues. Make your life count even if you can hardly do anything. Let people love you. That is a loving thing to do. All of us will die eventually. Focus on being alive while you are alive. Make it count.