Lessons from a Wellness Coach after a Cancer Diagnosis
Last year I was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a complete surprise. Who expects a cancer diagnosis? As I told friends, the Lanes are a heart and stroke family, not cancer. On the other hand, it wasn’t a total surprise. I had noticed a change in my bowel movements and am glad that I eventually reached out to my doctor.
A year later—that included one surgery, three months of chemotherapy, and a battery of tests—I feel good and am cancer free. As a health and wellness coach, the experience was especially meaningful by giving me first-hand experience into what it’s like to face a serious health diagnosis, the physical and mental challenges, and how difficult recovery and getting back to “normal” can be. With that in mind, here are a few lessons I learned (and re-learned) from the experience:
1. Pay Attention to Your Body: Our bodies send out all kinds of messages. Take time every day to notice how your body feels. Are you experiencing anything out of the norm? Notice patterns and don’t fall into the trap of “oh it will eventually go away.” When I noticed a change in my bowel movements, I brushed it off at first, but over time knew something was wrong. If something doesn’t feel right, let your doctor know.
2. Accept the Support of Friends and Family: Our culture has conditioned us to be the “warrior” and to “fight” whatever ails us. The flip side of that is we need connection and support, to be loved, in times of difficulty. By accepting offers of support—a prepared meal, a ride, a small gift—we also create a reciprocal bond and give our friends an outlet for their own feelings whether it be concern, confusion, or something borne out of their own experience with an illness or a family member’s.
3. Maintain a Positive Mindset: While there is lots of research about the benefits of a positive mindset, it is not always the easiest thing to do when you don’t feel well day after day, are anxious, or want to shield loved ones from the pain you may be feeling. Expressing my gratitude to the wonderful nursing staff at the infusion center and short walks to notice the change of seasons are two examples of things that helped me maintain a positive attitude. Humor also helps. I had a chemo ball attached to my side after each of my treatments. I practiced "twerking" the chemo ball much to the amusement of my husband. We both needed the laugh.
4. Take Small Steps to Reach Larger Goals: As I finished up treatment, I wanted to get my body back into shape and take control of it again. Even when I was in treatment, I took short walks and lifted low weights at home. Looking back now, these actions were more for my mental health than physical health because they convinced me that I was in control and would beat this. When treatment was finished, I worked with a yoga teacher who helped me reconnect with my body both physically and emotionally. Today, I am back at the gym taking steps to rebuild my strength and stamina. I’m not where I was before cancer, but I’m on my way.
5. Stay Connected: Keeping to as much of a regular a routine as possible helped me maintain a sense of normalcy. That meant staying in touch with friends, family and colleagues, and keeping to a work routine. I’m grateful to all those who met me for coffee, chatted with me on Zoom or the phone, or sent me text messages. On the weeks between treatment, I sometimes met a friend to walk or had dinner out with my friends while also maintaining covid precautions. Staying connected helped keep my spirits high.
6. Take Care of Yourself Today to Minimize Health Risks in the Future – We can all make even small lifestyle changes to keep ourselves healthy and fit. My surgeon said I was a “model patient” because of my otherwise good health and this contributed to my recovery from the surgery and my body’s ability to get through chemotherapy with manageable disruption to my life. See your healthcare provider regularly and remember the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
We can’t always control a medical diagnosis or the pace of recovery, but we can control how we respond to it. Health and wellness coaches can play an important role by supporting individuals through a diagnosis, treatment, and recovery including helping them tap into their own resourcefulness and mapping out steps they can take to achieve a healthy outcome. Surviving cancer has given me greater empathy and insight as a health and wellness coach and I look forward to supporting those who face a similar challenge.