English - International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation

A Self-Care Approach, cont. from page 18
to-day problem solving and can empower us to take part
in our treatments. Some of us may feel the need, and have
the intellectual aptitude, to delve deeply into the “science”
of this disease while others may feel more confident by
going slowly and selectively through the information
available. No one will be grading you on your knowledge
of WM! So, whatever your personal learning style is,
accept it and be comfortable with it.
The care you take of your physical health is the foundation
for self-care. Concern for your health should begin
even before a disease strikes, and it becomes vital after
diagnosis. Maintaining optimal health will afford us the
best opportunity to live many quality years with WM.
Optimal health is maintained by proper nutrition, exercise
as tolerated, and adequate rest and sleep. But self-directed
care is much more than just maintaining a healthy body.
It also includes our mental health and well-being. Often
one will influence the other, so maintaining or improving
the health of body and mind will smooth the path we are
traveling.
Exercise, or movement therapy, is the perfect example
of the interplay of mind and body. The Mayo Clinic
has recently completed a study on the effects of exercise
on the cancer patient while undergoing treatment and
published the results in the Journal of Pain and Symptom
Management. The program is called Rapid Easy Strength
Training, or REST for short (mayoclinic.org/news2012-
rst/7202.html). It is a walking program combined with a
series of gentle resistance movement exercises. Patients in
the test reported less fatigue, more energy, better quality
of life, improvement in mood and self esteem, less nausea,
a sense of control, better sleep, decreased anger, and
increased cognition. Overall, patients in this exercise study
stayed physically healthier, with muscle mass maintained
or improved. Other research has shown that endorphins
rise with exercise while cortisol levels drop–– effects that
can offer a quick mood response. Clearly, exercise helps
the mind and body in a lasting way.
A diagnosis of cancer produces a more introspective period
in our lives when we contemplate our very existence.
We may focus on spirituality or for a philosophical
understanding of our life. Often people who have been
diagnosed with cancer find gratitude for what they do
have. Others may feel compelled to donate or contribute
in some way to a particular cause. Some strikingly
new insights may emerge to offer clarity about what is
important to us and what is not. The resulting insights
have even been called the “gift” of cancer. In any case
our most complex and creative ideas may emerge from
the deep dark thoughts that are associated with sad,
reflective mood states. Sadness itself can be a healing
tool, as it acts like a launch pad to creative thinking that
can lift despair. We can even use our anger and frustration
to our benefit by identifying their source and managing
them constructively. Even tears, oddly enough, can be
therapeutic. A “good cry” creates a hormonal release of
cortisol and a sense of calm afterwards.
For some, this introspective time can lead to a desire to
express feelings and emotions in writing, art, or music.
In fact, the creative arts are so therapeutic that all are
encouraged to “express themselves.” No particular talent
is required. The poet (and monk) Thomas Merton once
said, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves
at the same time.” Writing or keeping a journal may help
us chart a direction forward and clarify the goals we
want to obtain. At Georgetown University’s Lombardi
Comprehensive Cancer Center, recent research on this
subject was conducted with leukemia and lymphoma
patients. It was found that writing sessions, even in the
waiting room, helped to improve the outlook of patients
regarding their cancer and treatment. Listening to music
or playing an instrument can also be therapeutic for the
soothing effects on a worried mind. Even without knowing
how to play an instrument, we can respond favorably
to the listening experience. One need only observe the
number of patients receiving chemo with earphones on,
listening to their preferred music. The sound is familiar
and comforting over the extraneous noise in the chemo
suite. The expressive arts offer a way to safely face our
concerns without judgment from others, while we benefit
from increased self-awareness and purging negative
thoughts.
The decisions we need to make require a calm and
focused mind. Taking a step back in order to distance
ourselves from the emotional impact may be required.
Recent research has shown a range of mind-body methods
that can actually shift frontal brain activity toward a new
pattern of more positive and goal-oriented thinking in
many people. Popular among them is meditation, which
helps to decrease troubling thoughts by enhancing our
internal attention toward the here and now. Relaxation
exercises, along with deep breathing techniques, guided
imagery, reflexology, aromatherapy, therapeutic massage,
acupuncture, and even self-hypnosis can help promote a
relaxed state of mind. Some cancer centers now include
such teaching programs. Yoga, which means ‘union’ in
Sanskrit, is a favorite program offered at these centers.
Yoga promotes tranquility of the mind by inducing a
A Self-Care Approach, cont. on page 20
IWMF TORCH Volume 14.2
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