Saturday 16 February 2019

Ah, that's better!

Or it will be, if you help me J

So, I am honoured to have been asked to speak at the Let's Talk About Cancer conference, taking place on 14th March at the Magna Centre in Rotherham. My 15 minute slot is about coping with pain, the patient's perspective.

Now, whilst I know that bowlfuls of sweet white sauce and dancing on the spot worked wonderfully for me when my mouth was full of ulcers and my limbs felt like I'd been picked up and deposited in Luther, where the baddies didn't believe me and used their special vice-like contraption to squeeze and squeeze until I admitted defeat, I realise that my experience may be different from others. I also recognise that we all have our own ways of dealing with these things and that there are probably hundreds of different methods out there for getting through the bad days of cancer pain and the side effects of treatment.

I'd therefore like to ask if you would tell me about them. And I will steal them and pass them off as my own during my talk. Seriously now, dealing with pain is a big deal and in my fifteen minutes, I'd like to mention as many ways and means of dealing with it as possible. Here's hoping this will be useful to at least some of the audience.

If you, or someone you know, found anything from a medication to a holistic treatment or simply a regime that worked as effective pain relief for you, please would you let me know so I can add it to the list? I promise I will credit my blog readers on the day!

Meanwhile if you, or anyone you know, have been touched by cancer and happen to live in the Yorkshire region, places are still available at the Let's Talk About Cancer event. Tickets are free but limited so you will need to register. For more information and to secure your place, click here.
  
And if you do attend, please come and say hello! Most of the day I'll be in the exhibition area with a pile of books, otherwise you'll find me facilitating a group session, or fretting about my imminent arrival on stage…  

9 comments:

  1. I found this through the #Mondayblogs hashtag on Twitter. I'm afraid I don't have much to add that would help but didn't want to leave the site without wishing you all the best.

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    1. Hi Lacey, what a very lovely comment! Thank you so much for taking the time, your best wishes have made my day :)
      All the best to you and thanks for reading!

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  2. Sorry Jackie that i can't add anything!I hope you get some ideas adn it goes well! x

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  3. Hi there- I am part way through preventative chemo and have some pain in a vein from the meds- I was prescribed steroid cream but that doesn't seem to have helped so I went back to good old fashioned nature- pure aromatherapy lavender oil and hot compresses- working a treat- I'd say take the drugs for sure but don't forget about the healing powers of nature and a good old fashioned positive mental attitude. Other things that help- keeping your mind off pain and refocus- friends, family, walking and mindfulness hobbies- such as crafting have really helped me too. good luck Jackie :-)

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    1. Thank you, Sally! It is so good to hear you have found something that works, and, selfishly for me (!) this is gold dust for my post! Thanks so much for this fabulous comment and I do hope you are doing ok?
      Ps So sorry for the slow response, I have been away on a writers’ retreat - bliss! - and couldn’t remember my google log in 😳

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  4. Hello Jackie. What an honour to be able to 'speak' to the author of the very book I am reading at the moment! I am having a mastectomy on March 15th, otherwise I would have travelled up to hear you talk.I feel very privileged to be able to say a huge THANK YOU for writing such an inspirational book, that myself and so many others will most definately benefit from. Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy are both on my plan of action too. I feel as though you have given us all an insight into the realities of the whole process, and for that, I will be eternally grateful. Thank you.I am also very lucky in having a great support network in my friends and family, and I do appreciate that.It's so comforting to know that there's always someone I can call on for a chat and catchup, just sometimes to distract me for a little while, and to give me something, or someone else to think about.

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    1. Hello! Where to start?! Thank you so much for your fabulously lovely comment which really made me gulp. My hope for the book was always that my experience, and the bit of knowledge I'd picked up from others along the way, would be helpful, hopefully calming and also encouraging for others a bit further back on the road. So, to hear it's been so useful to you, is wonderful. Thank you so much for taking the time and it's a shame I won't get to meet you at the conference.
      All the very best for your mastectomy. It's not something any of us would wish upon ourselves is it, but I do remember waking with enormous relief that I'd taken a massive step in the process of getting rid of this horrible disease. I hope you will feel this, too. Be kind to yourself, recovery gently and accept offers of help from your great support network. Don't worry about chemo and radiotherapy for now, you can tick them off later :)
      Hugs to you,
      Jackie x

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    2. PS I also wanted to apologise for the delay in responding - really must invent passwords I can remember when away from my desk :)

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