What To Do When You Are Having A Really Bad Day

Managing Difficult Moments

Even if you do everything right, there are going to be days throughout your breast cancer treatment when you will not be feeling your best, which can range from feeling slightly nauseated and fatigued to feeling that you are literally unable to get out of bed.

While we can’t eliminate not-great days entirely, we can lessen how often they occur and the severity of the symptoms.

• Talk to your doctor. First, inform your doctors that you are not well. You may be severely anemic or your white count may be dangerously low; you might need to go into the office for a blood test

• Institute the self-care protocol. Now is the time to use your “care tree.” Call your contact person and let her know you’ll be needing some assistance throughout the day for yourself and your family.

• Let yourself be taken care of. Let those people who love you come to take care of you! I know, this is sometimes easier said than done. Often women with breast cancer are the caregivers themselves, and asking for help and accepting care from others is a new and uncomfortable experience. Do it anyway.

Accept Help

The difficulty with accepting help can stem from feelings of low self-esteem or feelings of unworthiness. These feelings were established inside of you a long time ago, and you can’t expect them to dissipate all at once.

It takes time to change old messages about who you are and what you deserve in life. Now is as good a time as any to start.

The most powerful messages come from within. Go inside yourself, meditate for a few minutes, and let the message you need to hear arise within you.

If it’s just too hard to see yourself as someone who needs to accept help, mentally reframe the situation.

You’re not only getting, but you’re also giving: the people who have volunteered to help you are experiencing the joy of being useful and doing things that will make a difference in your care and well-being.

Keep Yourself And The Energy Clean

Your body is working overtime to heal after surgery or to process the chemotherapy or radiation; the bi-products of these procedures are eliminated through your skin and bowels.

To that end, it’s beneficial to keep your body clean.

If you are too weak to get out of bed, this is a moment to ask for help from a family member or a dear friend for a sponge bath or loofa sponge dry brushing.

Wash your face, brush your teeth, and change into clean PJs or comfortable at-home clothes.

Ask your helper to change your bed linens, vacuum your bedroom, and open the window to air out the room.

Please make sure you are moving your bowels regularly. If you are having frequent diarrhea, please let your doctor know immediately.

Most importantly, make sure you have someone helping you for the day— taking care of you, your children, and your household—so you can rest.

Eat Nourishing Foods

Remember, nutrition is our first line of self-care and defense! Your body and soul need specialized nutrition for recovery from treatment and to protect and repair healthy cells.

• Stay hydrated. Drink bone broth and/or warm lemon ginger water.

• Eat lightly – Bone broth, or chicken soup.

A Calm Mind And Positive Outlook

• Listen to healing music, engage with an inspirational healing app, or do a quiet meditation – whatever allows your thoughts to settle.

• Sleep and rest.

• Focus on the positive.