Thank Those Who Show Up for You

Whether you are in the thick of treatment or a few years out, we still not only need to keep taking care of ourselves, but we also need to take care of our friends and caregivers. Many of us had a primary caregiver, or a couple of them, throughout our treatment.

If anyone can understand what we dealt with, from doctor appointments to treatment sessions, it is them. They were just viewing it from a different helpless perspective.

Support others

Many times, my husband would be the one to join me at a chemo treatment. On occasion, I had my mom or a friend join me.

When we are in the midst of battling through, we have to focus on ourselves. Our caregivers are also focusing on us. They are usually looking out for us when we do not have the strength or desire to do so. They might grab you an extra blanket when you are cold. They probably made you a meal even when we said we did not want it.

They are typically the ones who are not resting. They are usually not taking care of themselves because they are worried about taking care of us.

Prioritizing ourselves

When we are sick, we have to focus on ourselves. We have to push through and make it past each treatment.

When the fog clears, make sure you remember who was there for you. Remember who showed up for you even when you didn't want to show up for yourself. Think about who reached out, sent you cards, left you voicemails, and made you a meal. All you probably wanted to do was shut the world out. They showed up because they wanted you to know that you were not alone.

Once you are on the other side of your treatment, reach out to those that showed up for you. Remember to thank those who showed up for you, whether that was in a big or small way.

Primary caregivers

Think about your primary caregivers and how much they did for you. Did they get help and support for themselves when they were caring for you? I have been both a caregiver multiple times and a patient in the last 8 years.

I know there were times when I focused on my friend or family member in treatment. Therefore I was usually not taking care of myself. I chose to place my life on hold some days to make sure that I could be there for them.

I do not regret my choices. I know they appreciated every moment I spent with them and everything I did for them when needed. They made sure to tell me so.

When you read this, think about someone that showed up for you in your time of need. Send that person a note, shoot them a text, or give them a call. Thank them for showing up for you when you needed them most.