infiniteperspective.net

It is a given fact that cancer is a physiological condition. After all, it is a condition that begins in the cells, our body’s basic unit of life. When certain conditions cause our cells to go haywire and mutate, they can divide uncontrollably and invade other tissues and organs. It is also a given fact that there are medicines and procedures that can treat this disease. Aside from the conventional chemotherapeutic, radiological and surgical measures, medical research is now focusing on the prevention of certain cancers, foremost of which is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that guards women against cervical cancer. Yet, it is also a given fact that a cure for all types of cancer—whether they be carcinomas, sarcomas, leukemias or lymphomas—has still not been found. Unless this panacea can be discovered, all cancer survivors have to be prepared for possible remissions in the future. Thus, it is also a given fact that the battle to survive cancer is not only physiological. It is also psychological.

And it is all in the mind. Wikipedia defines mental conditioning as “the process through which the mind is induced to adopt certain mental patterns, tendencies and/or mental states.” The ‘will to survive’ is a deliberate cerebral act, and from what I’ve experienced and heard from my “colleagues in the Big C business,” this often makes the difference between fighting it out and giving in. Because cancer is a sickness that carries with it much hopelessness, it makes sense to acclimatize the mind to accept the ailment so that it can prepare the body for the potentially long, sometimes painful and emotionally draining treatment process. I dare say that it is almost always a waste of time, energy and money to treat cancer patients with the latest therapies and surgeries if they have conditioned their minds to accept that death is sure to follow.

So how do we toughen our minds? These four techniques that the Mayo Clinic gives to enhance athletic performance are also quite helpful for those facing the Big C. These are: 1) relaxation, 2) imagery, 3) goal-setting and 4) positive thinking. Taking a few deep breaths and staying calm can be especially helpful before and during any chemotherapy session, when inserting needles more than once before a vein is found becomes commonplace. Forming mental picture or image of you getting well, walking and playing with your children is also important because it puts any thought of pain or death aside. I found this especially helpful when I formed a mental picture of ultimately delivering a healthy baby despite the treatments I have been receiving. The Mayo Clinic says: “Setting goals can increase your motivation, provide you with a sense of challenge and help you determine what you can and can’t control—leading to greater confidence.” If you like to beat the disease, then let that be your goal. Last but not the least, erase all negative thoughts of “not making it” because they “get in the way of concentration and confidence.” Staying positive keeps the cancerite focused on the most important thing of all: healing. I’d like to add a fifth element, though, which I have found indispensable in my personal journey with cancer: prayer. Knowing that God is with me throughout this whole ordeal certainly lightens the load. It leaves the burden of the cure up to Him.

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