Coping with the Emotional Impact of Cancer »

Here's a book filled with practical techniques for coping with the emotional impact of this life-threatening disease from an eminent psychologist and long-term cancer survivor. Fiore shows readers how to: manage the initial shock of receiving a cancer diagnosis; establish team relationships with doctors; communicate with family and friends; deal with feelings of helplessness; lessen stress and worry; combat depression; prepare for treatment; and live a rich full life despite the fear.

Foreword to the First Edition x

Preface xii

How to Use this Book xiv

Acknowledgements xvi

Introduction: How a Psychologist Coped with His Own Cancer 1

Discovering My Cancer

Finding a Doctor

A Second, and a Third, Opinion

Facing Surgery

Waking Up During Surgery

A Return of Meaning to Life

Different Agendas

Fighting to Get Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy Begins

The Long Fight

A Turning Point

The Road Back to Health

Meeting with the "What If" Voices

Lessons Learned-Lessons to Share

Chapter 1 Coping with Your Diagnosis 22

The Initial Shock

Deciding to See a Doctor

Preparing to See a Doctor

Do You Want to Know the Diagnosis?

How the Diagnosis is Conveyed

Know the Difference between the Diagnosis and the Prognosis

Coping with the Impact of the Diagnosis

The Stress of the Diagnosis

Changes in Self-Perception

Chapter 2 The Power of Your Beliefs 39

Why Consider Your Beliefs?

The Meaning of the word "Cancer"

Anger at Yourself for Being Human

The Need to Make Sense of Illness and Suffering

Discovering Your Beliefs

Illusion of Control

How You Try to Explain Suffering

Review Your Reactions to the Diagnosis

New Ways of Thinking about Cancer

Five Stressful Reactions

Where Do I Go from Here?

Chapter 3 Maintaining a Fighting Spirit: What You Can Do 57

How to Reduce Stress During a Stressful Time

Five Actions to Make More Energy Available for Healing

Expect a Surprise

Replace Negative Reactions

Nutrition: Feeding the Healthy Part of You

Nutrition Research

Race and Cancer

Too Much of a Good Thing

Expect a Positive Transformation

Chapter 4 Managing the Stress of Serious Illness 68

Understanding YourHealthy Stress Response

The Power of Imagery

Regaining Physical Control

Talking to Your Body

Regaining Cognitive Control

Five Steps to Integrating Physical and Cognitive Control

Exercise: Rate Your Stress Level

Chapter 5 Coping with Depression and Helplessness 85

Cancer and Depression

Options for Therapy and Medication

Three Contributors to Depression

How to Cope with Depression: Four Steps

Chapter 6 Becoming an Active Patient 97

You Are More Than Your Diagnosis

The Patient Role: Mastery or Helplessness

My Heart Attacked Me-My Cells Have Turned Against Me

Becoming an Effective Human Being

Being a Good Patient May Not Be Good for You

Who Knows What's Best for You?

Know Your Doctor's Assumptions

The Power of Choice

Chapter 7 You and Your Doctor-Building a Working Relationship 108

How to Find a Quality Doctor and a First-Rate Hospital

Understanding the Basic Doctor-Patient Contract

Realistic Trust or Blind Faith?

Shared Responsibility, Shared Authority

Medical Training and Emotions

How to Take Charge of Your Medical Treatment

Be Prepared to Ask Questions

Take Me Seriously-Respect My Feelings

Medication

Protecting Yourself from Pessimism

The Misuse of Statistics

Resources for Treating the Whole Patient

Nutrition and Cancer Therapy

Psychosocial Support

The Team Approach

The Nurse

Recommendations

Chapter 8 Communication Skills: Staying Connected 131

Communications within the Family

Why Communicate Your Feelings?

Expressing a New Identity

Choosing How to Communicate

Speaking the Unspeakable

What the Family Can Say

Three Barriers to Communication

Three Essential Communication Skills

Different Timetables-Different Tasks

Changes in Family Roles

The Rights of Family Members

Chapter 9 Fully Alive after Cancer-The Transformative Power of Facing a Life-Threatening Crisis 155

The Essential Lesson

Transformation-New Potential for Cancer Patients

The Power of Living in the Present

Centering Exercise

Mourning the Loss, Releasing the Past, Accepting Your Present

Shifting Roles

Change in Relationships

Chapter 10 Coping with End of Life Issues 165

A Change in the Patient's Role

Preparing for Your Final Days

Deciding on Terminal Care

Hospice Care for Terminal Patients

The Family's Dilemma

Pain Control and Symptom Relief

Enhancing the Quality of Life

The Patient's Family

Appendices 176

A Exercise for Recall of the Diagnosis

B Reducing Stress by Making Yourself Safe with You

C The Patient's Bill of Rights

D Resources

Bibliography 186

Index 190