FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THESE SUBJECTS, SEE THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT

Waiting is part of modern medicine. Waiting for test results. Waiting for an appointment. Waiting for treatment to begin or for treatment to be effective. 

Waiting can be awful. For some people, the anxiety is worse than physical pain.

Following are some time tested ideas that have worked for people to make the wait easier. If you have additional ideas, please share them on our message board: Managing Your Care.

• Try to schedule tests and dates with your doctor to minimize the waiting period. 
• If a test is a routine one, don't wait for your doctor to order it when the two of you are together. Instead, take it before you see the doctor so you and the doctor can review the results together at your visit. For example, have blood drawn a week before your scheduled appointment.
• Keep yourself busy, especially on weekends.
  • Maintain your daily schedule.
  • Catch up on all the movies you haven't seen yet - including those on DVD.
  • Read a fast moving book.
  • Research your condition if it helps.
  • Don't sit home alone. Spend time with the people who love and support you.
  • Do the household chores that require your focus so that time disappears without notice
• Keep a balance in your life.
  • Include activities that make you feel good.
  • Include activities that keep your attention.
• Take advantage of your support systems.
• Take care of yourself:
  • Eat as well as you can.
  • Exercise.
  • Get sleep. (If you need help sleeping, speak with your doctor).
• Enlist the help of a higher power. Let go and turn the situation over to a higher power. Pray.
• Use stress reduction techniques. For example:
  
  • Use deep breathing exercises
  • Visualization
  • Meditate
  • Adopt the attitude that you are okay today, that "no news is good news" or that "my worrying won't change anything" or that "in a week this will be behind me, and I'll go on."
• Live in the moment.
• Use your mind to reframe what is happening
• Try to think positively. Recognize negative thoughts and try to change them. For information about how to work to stay on the positive side, click here. 
• Don't make rash decisions or open the spending spigot.
• Watch for signs of depression or out of control anxiety. If they appear, there are tips to help. Click here for tips about depression and here for tips about anxiety. For instance, if the anxiety becomes too difficult, ask your doctor for a drug to help ease the anxiety.
• Keep in mind that you have managed to live until today. You have proved that you have the coping skills to deal with whatever comes along.

Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments