>> The topic for today's CARES Group meeting is acceptance
of your new normal, adjusting to transitions.
My name is Sylvia Stearn and I am a Clinical Social Worker
with the NCI Neuro-Oncology Branch.
My role in the Neuro-Oncology Branch is to provide support to our brain
and spine tumor patients and caregivers.
My support can include brief supportive counseling and resource referral and education
on how to access resources in a patient's community.
I am presenting on this topic because we at the Neuro-Oncology Branch believe in the importance
of providing education on ways our patients can enhance their ability to accept
and enjoy their lives in the new normal,
and to be able to share their experiences with each other.
Today, we will define and discuss what new normal looks like.
We will look at ways to adjust to a new normal.
We will explore tools for you to use to help you with transitioning.
Finally, we will do an exercise that will help you engage with transitioning.
The end of cancer treatment is often a time to rejoice, though a rare brain
or spine tumor can continue to impact your life after your treatment ends.
Most likely, you are relieved to be finished with the demands of treatment.
You may be ready to put the experience behind you, and have life return to the way it used
to be, or you may be ready to have a fresh start at something new.
It is very common to be thinking about whether the cancer will come back and what will happen.
Often, this time is called adjusting to the new normal.
You may have many different feelings during this time.
During this time of transition, you are letting go of something old to embrace something new.
It can be a slow process of letting go of the old reality and finding a new way to be.
Your new normal may include living with physical changes and cognitive changes.
You may fear your tumor will return.
Living with worries and anxieties can be challenging for you and your loved ones.
You may see yourself in a different way.
You may find that others think of you differently, now.
Our goal today is to explore these changes that are happening
and to provide some tips to help you transition.
Here, we will look at some of the common signs and symptoms of changes
that you may be experiencing or have experienced.
It is not so much getting back to normal as it is finding what is normal for you, now.
You may feel that life has new meaning, or that you look at things differently.
Your new normal may include making changes in the way you eat and what you do.
You may have new or different sources of support.
You may have permanent scars on your body.
You may not be able to do something things you used to do.
You may have made new routines for yourself.
You may be coping with the emotional scars from all that you have been through.
You may be rethinking your work or professional goals.
Whatever your new normal is, it is a time for adapting and transitioning,
and it is a process that takes time.
Here are tips to help you during your transition to the new normal.
For cognitive issues, use your computer or smart phone to provide automatic date
and time reminders for appointments and meetings.
Create checklists of what you have accomplished and what still needs to be done.
Use visual and auditory tools, such as color coding or a timer to help you complete tasks.
Take care of your mind and body.
Eat a healthy diet.
Talk to a dietitian or a nutritionist about the foods you should eat to stay healthy.
Exercise. Moderate exercise is good for your overall health
and helps reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.
It also may improve your mood and boost your self-esteem.
Talk to others.
Spend time with friends and family and share your feelings
with them about your transitioning.
It may help you feel better and realize that you are not alone.
You can also join a support group to talk to others
who have the same concerns you are having.
Talk to your healthcare team and voice your concerns about any concerns you have.
Make sure you have a follow up care plan.
Seek comfort from your faith, religion, or sense of spirituality.
Take part in clubs, classes, and social gatherings.
They can be a positive focus.
Explore ways to help you relax.
Relaxation exercises have been proven to help people with stress
and may help you relax when you feel worried.
Meditation and yoga also help reduce stress.
Here are some strategies to consider when returning to work.
Communicate openly with your employer and coworkers so they understand
that if you are behaving differently, they can support you.
Develop strategies for getting work done.
Create realistic timelines with your employer and return to work gradually.
Know your limitations and figure out what times
of the day you have the most energy, and schedule tasks then.
Develop flexible solutions to your work challenges.
You may have a disability, including short-term memory loss, difficulty walking,
or problems concentrating, and your employer is required
to make you reasonable accommodations according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The exercise today is a 3-minute body scan meditation.
It is provided by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.
This body scan meditation is offered with a free UCLA Mindful App in iTunes and Google Play,
along with several other recorded meditations on topics for sleep, working through difficulties,
and loving kindness, to name a few.
Body scan meditation involves mindfully scanning your body for sensations of pain,
tension, or anything out of the ordinary.
Research has shown that this kind of meditation improves sleep, provides anxiety
and stress relief, and reduces pain.
Now, we will begin the meditation in a sitting position.
Begin by bringing your attention in to your body.
You can close your eyes if that's comfortable to you.
You can notice your body, seated, wherever you're seated.
Feeling the weight of your body on the chair, on the floor, and take a few deep breaths.
And as you take a deep breath, bring in more oxygen and liven the body.
And as you exhale, have a sense of relaxing more deeply.
You can notice your feet on the floor.
Notice the sensation of your feet touching the floor.
The weight and pressure, vibration, heat.
You can notice your legs against the chair.
Pressure, pulsing, heaviness, lightness.
Notice your back against the chair.
Bring your attention into your stomach area.
If your stomach is tense or tight, let it soften.
Take a breath.
Notice your hands.
Are your hands tense or tight?
See if you can allow them to soften.
Notice your arms.
Feel any sensation in your arms.
Let your shoulders be soft.
Notice your neck and throat.
Let them be soft, relaxed.
Soften your jaw.
Let your face and facial muscles be soft, then notice your whole-body present.
Take one more breath.
Be aware of your whole body as best you can.
Take a breath, and then when you're ready, you can open your eyes.
Transitioning to the new normal is a process that takes time.
You may experience all kinds of emotions, which is normal.
There can be uncertainty about the future.
One step you can take is to be informed.
Understand what you can do for your health now and find
out about the services available to you.
This can provide you with a greater sense of control.
Accessing resources from all areas of your life will benefit you as a whole person.
In conclusion, transition is a process that takes time.
Using the tools and resources presented today will hopefully help you during this time
of change.
>> For additional resources, visit cancer.gov/nci-connect.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes
of Health, National Cancer Institute.
Cancer.gov.
1-800-4CANCER.
Produced November 2021.