Hypnotherapy
NO AMOUNT OF HAND WASHING, SELF-ISOLATION, SHIELDING OR SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS GOING TO CHANGE MY DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST CANCER… Salomons based hypnotherapist Karen Martin’s regular column in SO usually centres around the topical issues affecting all of us in day to day family life but this month it is focused on her own personal experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer during lockdown. Here, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, she shares her story of being diagnosed and positively looking to the future…
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and pioneers in the care and aving always prided treatment of cancer patients. myself on being I don’t know whether ridiculously healthy. I Coronavirus slowed down the wasn’t too concerned course of my treatment but the when, mid lockdown, wheels seem to turn very slowly the morning sunlight streaming when you have tumours growing through my bedroom window inside you. What, at first, appeared highlighted a tiny little dent. A to be small and quickly fixable was quick Google revealed I’d better revealed to be more complex. I get it checked, just in case. was first diagnosed on July 8 and That’s how, a few weeks later, I had surgery September 4, after found myself sitting in a tub chair in multiple tests and meetings to a ‘bad news’ room at Pembury discuss findings and agree on Hospital with a box of tissues, a treatment. surgeon and a Macmillan nurse. To me, that was an eternity of We’re all masked up. Faceless. uncertainty. The antidote to Their expressions of kindness my impatience was and compassion, hidden. work. Focusing on Mine of shock and “I am far from other people’s fear, suffocated. alone and have problems gave me No amount of respite from mine. hand washing, been blown away by As always, self-isolation, the love and kindness hypnotherapy shielding or social of those who are close benefits me as distancing was much as those who going to change the by and able to offer seek my help. And diagnosis of breast support” as news slowly spread cancer. For the first amongst family, friends time in a rackety and and colleagues, I was able to reckless life of assumed come to terms with the reality of invincibility, my survival was in the hands of an overstretched NHS - in the situation. Since diagnosis, Covid the middle of a pandemic. safeguarding measures have made When life changes in the blink of life much tougher than it would an eye, it’s easy to lose sight of the otherwise be. Catching the virus big picture as the tiniest of would have potentially devastating concerns became magnified consequences so I’ve had to stay through the lens of anxiety. Thus I close to home, just working, discovered myself to be a very sleeping and eating for now. My impatient patient. If I couldn’t control the disease or its treatment, son went back to uni early, I haven’t been able to share my I wanted to know why, when, daughter’s joy at owning her first where, what and how. Right now. flat by helping her to move in, I Challenging advice and demanding information, it took a while to dawn can’t see my elderly parents who are heartbroken and beside on me that I was in the best of themselves with worry. Birthday hands. World class hands. Experts 32 | October 2020 | SO Magazine
celebrations and family gatherings have all passed by without me. Most of the tears I have cried have been over the absence of the people I love the most.
DEVASTATING That said, I am far from alone and have been blown away by the love and kindness of those who are close by and able to offer support. My partner has given me a free pass to be indulged and looked after by whatever means he can. Previously independent and self-sufficient, I’ve never felt more loved than in this time of vulnerability. Just like Covid, cancer has potentially devastating economic consequences. For the first time in my working life, I’ve had to cancel
“When life changes in the blink of an eye, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture as the tiniest of concerns became magnified through the lens of anxiety”
clients and take time off. I was fortunate to be able to continue to run a reduced hypnotherapy practice online during lockdown. With many clients waiting to see me in person once restrictions were lifted, my diary was full for several weeks ahead by the time surgery was scheduled and I had to shut up shop. Self-employed and a single parent, my income has taken a double hit this year. I’m so grateful for the Self Employed Income Support Scheme and the flexibility of my landlord at Salomons. Yet more blessings to be counted in adversity. Now, my hopes are for a speedy return to full health so I can rebuild my business and get on with living life to the full. Of course, that aspiration is only possible because of the outstanding treatment I am receiving on the
