Make me happy during a serious illness?

So sorry!
I have heard that laughter really is the best medicine. I would find ways to laugh. Watch comedy movies, subscribe to the comedy channel and actively seek out the humor in everything you see. I have no idea what it’s like to be in your shoes, but I think if I found myself there, and was in a position to look for a strategy for emotional survival, that’s where I would start.

Keep living, keep going at it. Do whatever makes you happy. Every day you’re alive is a win for you and a loss for the cancer. Cherish these days.

Also take comfort in that you’ll have the sum of all our medical knowledge applied to you. As grim as it might be to consider, so many people have died of cancer in humanity’s existence due to the lack of knowledge and technology to treat it – while we haven’t solved it completely yet, know that cancer nowadays is not unbeatable.

Know that your friends, including flutherers, are praying for you.

Welcome, rickpoll. Keep your eye on astrochuck if you want to go judi’s laughter route.

Got a Bucket List? Get started. Everyone ought to, but
usually it takes a big wakeup before we realize we should move fast. Maybe your good
luck is that your wakeup has arrived. I know that sounds smarmy. I mean it in the most serious way possible.

Surround yourself with those you love, and love them. Reach out to every community you can and ask for support (as you are here). In whatever way you can, think positive thoughts, or learn to think positive thoughts. Believe you can live and recover from this.

These things can be hard to do, so having a coach or therapist help you can be really good.

Don’t forget, people love you!

So sorry to hear that. Hang there. We’ll be here for you!!!

When my husband found out that he had cancer, we were a mess for the first while – I don’t even think we managed to rouse ourselves at all for a couple of days. Then we managed to pick ourselves up a bit. We hung out with friends like we always did and generally carried on with our lives. We still had bad days, but things were good for the most part. Rob made a point of behaving like his usual self around friends, too, so they quickly learned that it was ok to kid around with him like usual, rather than having to step on eggshells. I don’t know what to tell you other than that we made a conscious decision not to waste all our time mourning. We let it out when we needed to, then brushed ourselves off and carried on living. Keep in touch with people, ask for help when you need it, and I wish you all the best.

I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. That is devastating. Of course, no one else can make you happy as I know you know.

You, however, can determine your own attitude in the face to the difficulties you face. All I can offer you is to keep you and your struggle in my thoughts and prayers, and suggest these resources, which may offer you some help:

Norman Cousins wrote a then-groundbreaking book, Anatomy of an Illness and later many other titles about the power of laughter to aid healing.

Viktor Frankl is another amazing man who survived the Holocaust by determining to control his response to the horrors around him. His book Man’s Search for Meaning is also a classic.

Lastly, while I do not mean to imply in any way that your outcome may not be a return to health, Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture is inspirational for anyone, but especially someone facing illness.

Take care. Be well.

Find things you really love to do, It is great if you love your job because if you can work at all it really can take your mind off things. It is nice to have people to hold your hand (or hold back your hair during chemo) but it feels better not to have to think about it all the time.

I was lucky to get by with a colonectomy without chemo or radiation (stage 2). They told me it would be 3 mos before I could get back to work but I was climbing the walls after 3 weeks. I decided to go back to work (teacher-school opened 5 weeks after surgery) My incision was still unhealed and I felt like crap until the bell rang. Then for the next 5 hours I could forget about it.

I know you may not be able to work but the idea is to immerse yourself in something engaging. The time will fly. Even when you are in remission or you recovered from surgery and you are looking at the 5 year horizon it is better to be occupied instead of thinking about the “what ifs”

I am sorry to hear of your cancer….

Who is the adorable baby in your pic? Time spent w/ small children is an amazing way to make yourself happy and take your mind off of your troubles…..

…..and there is always Fluther! Welcome!

Take it one day at a time and maintain a positive outlook.
Follow all the good advice given above and remember you’re not alone. Wishing you strength and hope.

smile, have hope, stay positive, do what you love most.
and check this site everyday. a little bit of laugh is always good. =)

Love and be loved. I’ll be sending you good thoughts.