As a breast cancer survivor (12 years ago!), and in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month I offer these suggestions.

The radiation oncologist said to me …

“You’re a poster child for mammograms.”

“Why?”, I asked, from my seat in his bad-aqua blue treatment room.

“Because you found your breast cancer early. You’re going to be okay.”

About 12 years ago I walked into that regular annual mammogram looking pretty good and feeling great. Nine months later – after a lumpectomy, 16 weeks of chemotherapy, 33 radiation treatments, and 101 doctor visits – I walked out of that bad-aqua blue treatment room bald, tired and puffy.

During this health journey there were days of euphoria, days of despair, and every kind of day in between – filled with frustration, humor, fear, and gratitude.

Here’s what I have come to know ➜

• Appreciate “Normal”. It’s really not about how much money you make, or how many trips you take, or how large your business is. It’s really about getting the opportunity to enjoy a normal day.
• Find the humor. My formula is: Tragedy + Time = Humor. When I found out I was going to have chemo I was NOT happy. Some time went by and with a bit of perspective I told my husband, Jimmy, “I always thought I might sleep with someone who’s bald, I just never thought it would be me.”
• Maintain best practices around exercise and diet. If you’re already in good shape you’re ahead of the curve when you get a challenging diagnosis.
• Nurture your support system of family and friends. Create your safety net before you hit the wall. My family and friends made all the difference.

Communication tips ➜

What do you say and do when a colleague, friend or even a family member is in the midst of a tough medical journey?

From my professional work and personal experience here are some communication tips to help you interact with your colleagues, clients and friends who are dealing with a medical drama.

• Do Stay in touch with someone who’s going through a health challenge – email, text, phone messages – all are great.
• Do NOT ask the person who’s sick (or their family members) to return your call or email. That’s a burden.
• Do say or text, “You do not have to return this call/text/email.”
• Do NOT ask, “What can I do to help you?” (Again, this can be a burden.)
• Do something that you would like someone to do for you. Examples: Snail mail a get well card (appreciated and unobstrusive), meet for a walk, wash her car, make a meal, drive him to a doctor appointment, bring lunch, take her to a manicure place, or make a donation in his honor. And, do tell her that she does not have to write you a thank you note.
• Do NOT use social media as a place to share your concern about him, unless he invites that opportunity.
• Do NOT talk about your own experiences (or the medical outcome from your brother-in-law’s mother’s aunt…) with this type of illness. Please. You are there to hear your friend’s story, she is not there to hear yours.
• Do listen, if he wants to talk. That’s right. Just listen. Biggest gift of all.

These tips worked for me, and I hope you will use them as guidelines for you.

You cannot practice your great profession if you are not healthy. Please do your annual mammogram/PSA/whatever test(s)! My annual mammogram saved my life.

Who wants to be a poster child?

Not me.

But it sure beats the alternative.

© 2024 Karen Cortell Reisman, Speak For Yourself® CEO. All rights reserved.