Hi There,
I've got Stage 4 melanoma, been treated since 2018, moved on from various surgeries and previous adjuvant treatment (dabrafenib etc) to immunotherapy by infusion. This means I am having to deal with my fear of needles and being attached to machines via tubes and canulas. Anyone got any good tips for dealing with that?
I'll say in passing that I meditate quite a lot (been doing mindfulness for years)and would massively recommend it for being more resilient and keeping mental health more ok that it would be, but it is no good at all for me in the moment of receiving physical treatment using a needle. I need to NOT be hyper-aware of my body in that moment as it just makes the fear more overwhelming... that's been buiding up over a series of local anaesthetic procedures & all the endless scans. So I need to do something different in the actual moment.
Obviously I've had a look around t'interweb etc. but what I know these forums are really good for is actual lived experience: what helped you guys?
Susie
