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Wow!  Another year.  It feels like each one passes just a little more quickly than the one before.  I am wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2015!  Take good care of yourself!

It’s the season to celebrate.  Maybe even with a drink… or two.  If you are living with a chronic condition, there’s a lot to consider before you take that first drink.  Check out my recent article in my resources for “Patients.”    

It seems to me that we often look at the holidays from the perspective of how to say no.  As a result, we risk turning the holidays into a time of dread and not anticipation.  Here’s another way to look at the holidays:  http://justgotdiagnosed.com/resources/holiday-time-saying-yes/

The news of someone passing away who has the same diagnosis as yours can bring up a lot of feelings.  I recently published an article on how to cope in this situation.  Here is a link: http://justgotdiagnosed.com/resources/someone-condition-just-died-mean/

Maintaining a healthcare journal can be really valuable.  You can record thoughts and feelings, symptoms, questions… It’s up to you what you want in it and how you want to use it.  Here’s a link to an article on how to get the most out of your journal:  http://justgotdiagnosed.com/resources/keeping-journal-joys-benefits/

There is no words to adequately describe what it is like to receive the news that a diagnosis is terminal. And no magic formula to tell you how to cope.  But here’s a link to article I just posted with some ideas that might help.  It’s in the Patients section of Resources.  Here’s a link: http://justgotdiagnosed.com/resources/diagnosis-terminal-eleven-steps-toward-coping-hope/ […]

If you’re living with a chronic condition, you may have the need for some accommodations at your job.  That can be a hard conversation to have.  Here is an article with some ideas for how to handle this conversation: http://justgotdiagnosed.com/resources/chronic-communication-work-talking-accommodations-chronic-condition/

It’s only human nature to want to avoid bad news.  But going into avoidance mode may not be the best way to approach to getting screened for a condition like cancer.  Here’s a link to an article I recently wrote on why we avoid medical testing and how to overcome your own avoidance: http://justgotdiagnosed.com/resources/youd-rather-know-nine-steps-toward-facing-facts/

“I’m lost.”  Have you ever said that?  Well, I hear it a lot.  Getting the news of a medical diagnosis can leave you feeling like the foundation got ripped out from under you.  And when you are living with a chronic condition over the long term, those moments of feeling lost are bound to pop […]

Having fun adds a lot to your quality of life. When we smile, we produce those positive hormones – endorphins – that help to lower stress. So does having a good laugh. Having fun with people we care about brings us closer.   And having fun gives us a break from the pressures of life and […]