Mindfulness apps

Hi Willow90

I understand just how overwhelming everything will be for you at the moment.  I have my op on Tuesday.  I haven’t used mindfulness apps but you may find it helpful to look at a video of waves rolling in out, clouds going across the sky or something else to do with nature.  It may take your mind to a more peaceful place if only for a few minutes.  Best wishes and a hug are sent to you.

Thank you walking lady, I send you all my best wishes for you op 

jo x

I haven’t used mindfulness apps myself but people I know that have suggest Headspace is quite good. Think you can download a free trial, but you have to pay to use it regularly and to be able to access all the content. Similarly with an app called Calm. I’d suggest downloading a few free trials and seeing which app suits you in terms of style, delivery etc as they’re all different. I think Boots sell gift vouchers for Headspace so you could maybe suggest it as a Christmas gift. There’s lots of stuff on the internet  about dealing with anxiety, fear etc. You might have to do a bit of digging to find something that suits you. Talking to there is good. I find knitting helpful because it engages my brain and keeps my hands busy so it helps to keep some of the negative stuff at bay. If you feel really overwhelmed do seek some prove advice, whether through your GP, your specialist nurse or Macmillan? Hope you find something that helps. Sending gentle hugs  

Hello ,

sorry to hear about your diagnoses, the ladies here are fabulous and I know they will share their tips and words of wisdom, so welcome to our little corner of the community. I hope the recent storms haven’t caused too much trouble for you. We took some damage and the Internet is still wonky because of downed lines and transmitters and underground flooding. It was crazy actually because because just across the motorway from us some lost power for over a week and had no heating and having candle light, but i was just grateful to get though it safely, although i am sad our very large Christmas tree we grew from seed, may not be saved, it depends on how much damage it took to the roots when it tipped over, narrowly missed the greenhouse.

I have heard of headspace mindfulness app. But what has really helped me especially over the last two years after i had a bit of a breakdown because, no one seemed to understand what was happening with my health, I recovered well from cancer but ended up with some really strange issues that are still ongoing and things that apparently didn’t show up on the scan but was there, and i was let down really badly by someone i had called a friend who wounded me so deeply, i just cannot forgive, someone I thought I could trust, I couldn’t understand what i was doing wrong and felt frustrated that my body is behaving strangely, yet people didn’t believe me, or felt i was making it up, i wish i was as that would of been easier to deal with. I have lost all faith in people, I started bottling everything up instead of trying to open up about it, but i was afraid of what people would think of me.  I got recommended by a good friend an organisation that also has a private Facebook page but the lady who runs it Nicky Price has a YouTube channel that has so many well-being tips and some fun videos of her walking her dogs in the park as she chats along and you feel you are walking with her, even does an online disco on the Facebook page each week which started at the start of lockdown last year and carried on because of so many people just enjoyed it, a great escape from their troubles and for fun her husband gets dressed up as different characters and gives us all a giggle.Its an organisation called Rainbow after the storm,I personally found this is really helping me, by helping  me with my confidence issues and improving my mental well-being in general but also just being there as a friend who has listened without judging me and it aloud me to open up to her. Also her husband have truly been a godsend to me, as i went to a very dark place and was beginning  to feel like there was no light left.i am learning to know what is in my control and what is not and concentrate on what i can control, I have this belief i can only trust me, but i lost faith in my body, something which is common when things go wrong and especially when we have had a cancer diagnosis.

I think knowing that your not alone with anything really helps your mental well-being and this is a reason why I found Macmillan's online community such a invaluable place, I actually joined the community just after my surgery back in 2017 and have been amazed by the incredible strength of people who have taught me so much with their experience, but just having someone you can talk too who knows how you feel. When i was diagnosed with cancer i was just plain angry because I had been trying to get someone to take my seriously that something was really wrong, i got fobbed off for near 12 months with i just have a couple of small fibroids what i am I complaining about, so you can see why i am having serious confidence issues and a lack of faith with the medical profession. My oncology team are absolutely fantastic though and without them, I would of had no trust at all. It’s taken time but i was started to regain trust then i lost it all over again, during lockdown and struggling still, but i am trying to put my energy to something i can control and not something i cant. I have been doing more with my art and actually I have to look at posting in the womb girls arts and crafts thread some of my latest work. I have found so many really talented people who have also posted in the thread something I want people to do because I know personally how much arts and crafts help out mental well-being and a great distraction from the worry of cancer and the world. But most importantly I just love to share what I find really wonderful with others, I have given some pictures as presents too. I am not fantastic but i am happy to say i am improving and others seem to like them so i must be doing something right. 

Sending you some gentle bear hugs