AWAKE.........

Lots of practice Kacang, admittedly I didn’t think I had it in me. I find my arts and crafts very relaxing and it helps to calm my mind. I never thought for one minute that I would love painting or even that i have some talent for it. People say you either have the skills deep down in your mind or not. But to produce these pictures you must have some talent or hidden skills and like everything else takes patience and confidence, and if it can take your mind off your worries if only for a short time it’s worth it. I suppose that is why I started a thread in the womb group because i can see the real benefits to doing some form of arts and crafts and so offeren i hear, ‘i cant paint or something of that nature ‘ I know this because I said the same. So for me if it helps someone to get some relaxation or pleasure especially during times of illness then its worth it.  No wonder so many cancer support or pain and pain management groups offer some form of arts and crafs sessions. Plus because i find it so helpful i want to improve my skills, learn new ones and be able to help others to be able to achieve these skills too. Because its excellent therapy, so up to now mainly fone watercolours and a couple of arcylic painting but i want to try oils and pastels too. 

, I will do my best to remember!  If I forget feel free to give me a reminder

Hope it's a Good week for all. Wishing everyone who has treatment, all the best. May you all stay as Side Effects Free as is possible. 

Those working, I hope it's a good week for you.

Everyone else, I hope you have some fun, lots of laughter and a slice of Cake or two!! Xxxxxxx

Love the cake and painting Kacang and GBear .. good luck for Thursday

love the thought of you singing ... good stress release seaspirit44 ... hope you get a date soon for treatment and that cooler weather is on the way

LondonLass  and toxophilite.  wishing you a good day

xx

Yes GBear there's quite a bit of research about the benefit of art and craft in a therapeutic setting. I used to work in the arts area for the Australian government - we used to fund several projects in this sort of area as well as dementia and mental health. Personally, I prefer craft and do a fair bit of knitting, tapestry and other needlecraft. The blessing is that the positive benefits can accrue with any kind of arts activity..

Hi everyone just need to offload if any one is fed up of me  though please say xxx

Just feeling sad not much sleep last night. Hubby off work this week  so days out planned .But.... I'm sitting telling myself i can do this i can get through the weei. How awful is that !!!  Get hrouth  it i used to love his weeks off. I still want to but this stupid fear and worry spols everything .Yesterday had few words with fifteen year old daughter who has depression i mentioned being terrified of recurrence  She got so so upset asked me never to say it  said she hates im so sad and by her reaction is clearly so frightened herself iof me having recurrence. She made me promise not to talk about it to her. Feel so sad seeing how effected she was .I hate BC for hurting my family we are so close .I'm so angry at my body I've spoiled everything for them x

Hi Optimistic, off load away, its important to be able to get these things off your mind as it can became very mentally damaging if we don't. I am sorry you fear reaccurance and after what's been happing with me lately I do too so can understand. I am sorry your daughter is struggling with all the worries too, but clear she clearly cares. You haven't spoiled anything, cancer is just a god awful disease. Please 'dont' blame yourself, you've done nothing at all wrong. 

Sending you a big hug

Hi Optimistic  offloading is good.  On the positive side it’s good that you are a close family and can support each other. You’ve got a week together and have planned days out ... excellent ... and you say yourself you still want to love your hubby’s week off and I do hope you are able to.

 I do know that worry/anxiety can take over and cloud everything ... makes things so much more difficult to deal with ... even the everyday mundane stuff, decision making.and relationships ...and it takes up a lot of energy. Not sleeping doesn’t help either.

My OH is always telling me that thinking in a positive way is the answer, and I know he’s right as when I am in that mode I’m in control.... just got to do it more consistently. 

Please don’t  be so hard on yourself... you didn’t ask for bc,  it’s not your fault . Do try and enjoy being with your family

sending a gentle hug

xx

Oh ...optomistic ......please don’t be hard on yourself , this is illness and children have not got the life experience to cope . And she is a teenager , of course she doesn’t hate you , she hates you being ill and frightened . Have you got someone you can talk through your fears with ,instead of her . She will find it hard to cope with you coming across as vulnerable ....and has she got somewhere to offload her fears too ? Teenagers are hard work and you need all your strength to look after yourself . I was / am extremely anxious all the time , I think we all fear recurrence , but we have to find a way to cope with that ( somehow ) ......someone said to me to have half an hour of worry time ,then tell yourself you can do it again tomorrow , but no more today .   Apart from your fear , how do you feel physically ? If you can get out in the fresh air and do any exercise it might help your mood ,or sleep .......when you are sleep deprived everything is much worse .....

please rant away on here if it helps , but try a trip out with your husband this week too....you don’t have to plan / think about the whole week , break it into chunks , every time something goes well write it down and pin it to the wall to encourage you to try again ??    I have 2 friends going blind , and when I am in a flat spin of panic I remind myself I can see .....!!

really hope you start to feel better , best wishes ...( and hoping I have not been tactless ) 

xx

Posting this on behalf ofLondonLass, if it works

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/38/VID_2D00_20180806_2D00_WA0003.mp4