a journal for cancer survivors

The Healing Way
A Journal for Cancer Survivors

by Margie Davis

Over 60 well-researched writing exercises to help cancer patients and survivors write therapeutically about their cancer experience.

About the Author
How I Came to Create this Book

The idea for this book coalesced from different experiences in my life. I am an Aries, a person of action, yet I watched helplessly as my father died of brain cancer. More recently, I witnessed a close friend with cancer go through chemotherapy and radiation.

From my experience as a teacher of personal essay writing, I realized that cancer patients everywhere could benefit from writing about their experiences. When I learned about the Pennebaker studies that showed writing deep thoughts and feelings about stressful events could help people heal emotionally as well as physically, I knew I was on the right track.

I met with many medical and mental health professionals who educated me about the psychosocial issues of cancer patients and who helped me fine tune the book. I began teaching Writing About Cancer courses and was thanked profusely by participants whose writing helped them heal deep emotional wounds, even years after they had been declared cancer-free.

I am indebted to all those who helped me make this book a reality and who encouraged me during the creation and publication process. Thank you, and may you never need this book.

How to Use this Journal

The Healing Way will help you keep a journal to record facts and feelings while you undergo treatment for cancer, and even later, when treatment is over and you are left with thoughts and feelings about the process you endured.

Because treatment plans differ for each person, you can begin writing on any topic. This journal is designed to be flexible to fit your needs: if you feel like writing every day, you may do that. If you want to use the prompting questions to help you think about what is important to you, but you don't want to write in the journal, you may do that, too. If you feel too sick to write on some days, you may ask another person to write for you, or you may wait to write when you feel better. If you find drawing to be helpful, you may draw in this book, too.

This journal is your intimate and confidential companion to use as you wish. Feel free to return to any topic at any time to add more notes. You might want to date your entries. You are creating a keepsake of one of your most significant life experiences.

At the back of the book you will find the Personal Resource Section, which will help you organize the medical facts surrounding your treatment.

Use the Questions to Ask pages to write down the questions you want to ask your medical team, and take this journal with you to your medical appointments so you can write down the answers.
Use the Test Results pages to keep track of your medical tests and results.
Use the Contacts pages to keep names and phone numbers of your care team, e.g., medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, primary care physician, chemo nurses, radiation technicians, pharmacist, clergy, social worker, psychologist, complementary treatment practitioners, nutritionist, drivers, meal preparers, babysitters, etc.
Use the Important Dates pages to write or paste your treatment schedule. It is wise to write in pencil in case your treatment dates change.

Please note that this book does not attempt to give medical advice or make any health guarantees. It is not a substitute for professional care.

Writing one's deep thoughts and feelings about stressful events may bring up overpowering feelings. Do not hesitate to seek counseling from a trained mental health professional to manage these feelings.

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents gives you an idea of the range of writing topics included in The Healing Way. Each topic is accompanied by a series of helpful prompting questions.

Before Treatment Begins
The Beginning
Recommendations
Your Treatment Decision
Your Hopes and Fears
Taking Stock
Recurrence

Medical Topics
Diagnosis
Additional Input
Your Oncology Doctor
Before Surgery

About Chemotherapy
Your Oncology Nurses
Chemotherapy Treatments
Chemotherapy Side Effects

About Radiation
Your Radiation Technicians
Radiation Treatments
Radiation Side Effects

More About Treatments
After Surgery
Complementary Therapies
Treatment Schedule
Preconceived Notions
Hospital Visits
As Treatments Progress
Final Treatments

Daily Living
Routines
Rest
Money
Sexuality and Fertility
Upsets

Thinking and Learning
Why Cancer Strikes
What Matters
Benefits of Illness
Writing
Loose Ends
Thoughts of Mortality
Learning

People in Your Life
Circle of Support
Support Groups
Your Family
Your Children
Reactions from Friends, Coworkers, and Strangers
Gifts and Cards
Appreciation
Helping Others

Spirituality
Spiritual Comfort
Higher Power
Clergy
Laughter
Like a Child
Pets
Happiness
Insights and Miracles

About Yourself
Nurturing Yourself
Loss of Dignity
Control
Your Appearance
Photos
Goals
Image
Counseling

End of Treatment
Prognosis
Fear of Recurrence
Leaving the Cocoon
Thanking Your Caregivers
Looking Back
Your Future

Personal Resource Section
Questions to Ask
Test Results
Contacts
Important Dates

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