Navigating through insurance and vacation forms was always nerve-wracking and a high commitment for me. From the moment those bulky packages arrive in the mail, my stress levels fly off the charts. I was afraid that if I fill in something wrong I would be rejected or punished in some way – emotions that are not entirely rational, but still feel valid to me. And maybe you’re a cancer fighter struggling with the same problem.
Keep in mind that your stress level will usually be at its highest as soon as you receive the forms. Feel free to put them aside and let your nervous system regroup. Give him a few days or even weeks before you worry about filling out. It may just take you a little time to process that something new has been added to your plate.
What I eventually started was to devote an hour or two outside of my home to going over it all. Leaving all of the stressful cancer triggers behind in my house only seems to help ease my anxiety in general. I will also ask my wife to sit down with me to make sure I don’t miss the mark or misrepresent my situation. It’s always good to have a few friends or family members in hand who you can reach out to if necessary.
When I applied for a Social Security disability, the process felt even more intimidating and between treatment, scans, and surgery I was already busy with vaping. I invited a close friend who is a lawyer to come out for the day. I bought him lunch, we had to catch up and spend the day – which was great in itself – and he was by my side, guiding me with every question. It took a lot of pressure off me and reminded me to ask when I need support. Most people want to be there for you as long as you make it clear how they can help.
Another lesson I’ve learned is the importance of having the right doctor to be an attorney – someone you can turn to when you need help. Don’t just calm down if your primary care doctor or oncologist doesn’t seem to be in tune with your situation, or if it feels like you are just going through the motions. You can always have relationships with multiple health professionals and then find out for yourself whom to turn to better. Ask, do your research, and make sure you find this ally. It’s worth it.
Stress on the cancer journey comes in a variety of forms. Remember to take a breath, take your time to process unexpected twists, and then try to break everything in your way into manageable pieces.
Don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletter here for more news on cancer updates, research, and education.
Comments are closed.