“EYE OF THE DAY” topics 
I wanted a section to highlight tidbits of information that might be helpful, informational, of just interesting to my readers.
In an effort to label the section with a meaningful tab, I looked up the definition of a Daisy.
Come to find out the word Daisy comes from an old English term meaning “day’s of the eye” because the Daisy would usually open up with the morning sun. I just reversed it to “Eye of the Day” to symbolize something new every day.
I want to strongly encourage my readers to submit items and share information that might be of interest or assistance to other readers to be posted in this section.
I am starting the ball rolling with what I feel would be of tremendous value for individuals just beginning the TAZ journey. I’m calling it ESSENTIALS FOR THE TRIP
This TAZ world is a whole new world you get tossed into, like the lost world of Atlantis or something. Only it doesn’t resemble a vacation resort in “ANY” way. The language is new, the sights are new, the sounds colors and people are all foreign to what you’ve known in the past.
Yea, and even for you folks that have been around cancer patients and survivors, whether friends or relatives, once you join this exclusive club of “patient”, it puts you in a completely new alternate Universe.
EVERYTHING changes. TAZ chews up all those tiny “pink ribbons” and spits them out faster that you can say Pink. Looking back I decided it might be a GOOD idea to compile a list of things that might be useful “BEFORE” the ride. I want to encourage any of my readers please feel free to add to this List.
7 ESSENTIALS for the TAZ Bull Ride
- Advocate – crucial, crucial, crucial!!
- Notebook – 3 hole Binder
- NEW calendars – pocket size and desk size
- Journal – (less expensive than a psychiatrist)
- Internet – Make friends with Mr. Google
- Reward System –treats for your treatments. (No pun intended)!
- Inspirational resources
- The ADVOCATE
This is the person or person(s) that should shadow you on each and every; doctor, hospital, Lab, clinic and whatever visit or appointment you might have.
- The ADVOCATE
The Advocate should speak up, ask questions, write down information and either knows you well or is willing to get to know you well. They hear things you don’t hear, see things you don’t see, and do things you can’t do. If you don’t have one, GET ONE, there are so, so many support groups that offer this service. Ask around, don’t be a snob.
2. SPECIAL NOTEBOOK/BINDER
Keep each and every note, test results, lab visit, doctor’s names, addresses & phone #’s in this binder. And I mean each & every one. Not just the Doctors names, but all of their staff if possible. Receptionist, assistants, WHOEVER! Save all your medication lists, medical history, EVERYTHING!
Keep every single scrape of paper, KEEP IT in your binder. Every business card, every RX’s slip, everything, You’ll UNDERSTAND later why you need this binder.
3. CALENDARS (2 of them)
New Calendars, 1 pocket size and 1 desk size used exclusively for this TAZ trip
Post everything, because in filling out a thousand forms with the same information over and over, a calendar will save you time and energy. Keep records of medications, dates of procedures, surgeries, hospital stays, etc., because it is impossible to remember them all. In the best interest of your patience, sanity and energy, get a pocket calendar.
Make notations about your schedule, you conditions, be it headache, stomach ache, medicine reactions, cramps in your legs, nausea, fatigue, everything counts, EVERYTHING!
As a life long resident of Care Bear Land, I used pretty stickers to mark my calendar for every treatment. It brought me a little smile on those days. Just saying!
4. JOURNAL
Ok, I know a lot of people don’t like to journal, but come on people if you’re not going to Journal a trip like this, you’re beyond help. Even if you just jot down one thing at the end of the day, a feeling, an event, a strange experience, a dream you had, anything at all. If you think for one minute you will remember in June what happened in April and May you are completely DELUSIONAL!
No matter how hard you try, you will NEVER remember things in the context of what you were feeling at the time you were experiencing it. Besides that, it’s so therapeutic and healing, I think it’s equivalent to a very expensive psychiatrist. It’s ridiculous not to keep one.
Looking back you will be amazed at how you describe certain days. You’ll describe things in words you didn’t know you knew. Sometimes 3-4 pages to describe one day, other times, 1-2 paragraphs to describe a entire week.
5. INTERNET
GET ON THE INTERNET! Mr. Google is an excellent companion. Get a computer, smart phone, go to the Library, a friends house, just get access. There is so much information on the WEB. Good stuff and not so good stuff.
Google will keep you company at all hours of the night and day, and provide you with answers to questions you don’t want to ask any one else. There are two ways to use Google.
- Ask your doctor about things, then look it up on the WEB.
- Look it up on the WEB and then ask your doctor.
GOOGLE is waiting,….. with infinite knowledge.
6. REWARD SYSTEM
Once I knew I was going to require CHEMO, and I had a schedule of my TREATMENTS, I come up with the idea of a reward system for myself with a special “TREAT” after every Treatment.
At first, my reward list was full of expensive items, (we’re worth it, right?) But I had to scale back with a new list. Not only couldn’t I afford everything, but in most cases I didn’t even have the time, or energy to run around shopping for all of these items. (smile)
But it gave me something to look forward to, and took my focus off of all the negative things associated with that day’s treatment. This is a sample of my reward chart., however it can be as simple as a Red Mango ice cream.
7. INSPIRATIONAL SOURCES
Get some good books, listen to some great music, reach out to positive family & friends, talk to other survivors, attend support groups, everywhere and anywhere, find those things that will bring only positive energy into your life.
For me, the first place was the Bible. I’ve always tried to read at least one passage a night. I don’t always get it, or understand everything, but I keep reading it.
I also said my prayers and spoke to GOD all day and all night, but now the prayers that I had repeated so, so many times in the past, felt hollow. So I decided I needed a new personal prayer.
I wrote a personal prayer and it became very meaningful to ME, not just something I had memorized from earlier years and had been repeating forever. This prayer is personal and directly related to this journey.
Other things that inspired me were beautiful pictures from my photographer cousin Robyn Wilkes. She just knows how to capture beautiful scenes in a special way. I’ll just share a couple with you.
This one was significant because in my first Post I talked about jumping the puddles and rivers and oceans of obstacles in my life. It felt so symbolic.
Just think of it, at no other time in your life will YOU need as much positive inspiration as now. It’s the one medication your doctor cannot write a prescription for. So take charge and see to it that you get plenty of it.
For all you survivor’s out there please let me know other things you found especially helpful during your personal experience.
Ok, now it’s time to “get back on the journey”, just follow the Yellow Brick Road to the roller coaster.