Hello Everyone,
I know it was only a few days ago i last did one of these style posts, but after having such good feedback from the last one, i thought i would go ahead and do the next.
This topic is one which i think most people can relate to, they have experience with either first hand or know somebody who has gone through it. I am talking about having to cope with someone who has cancer. It could be a friend, a family member, which is what happened in my situation. When i was younger i had my Grandad pass away with cancer, and more recently i have had to deal with finding out that my mum was diagnosed as well. At the time i found that i felt like i had few options of where to turn to and places where i could say how i feel about all the different things going on, hence why i thought i would write this blog post about the ways i coped and the different outlets of information and help available to people in similar situations.
Firstly i found that it is important to realise that you are not alone! It can seem a really daunting and frightening situation and can leave you feeling like you have to cope and try to sort through your thoughts on your own which is completely untrue! I always ended up thinking i shouldn't talk to people about it especially with other family members as i did not want to upset them or burden them with my troubles, but i soon realised that speaking about how you are feeling is vital as it always ends up building up and making me feel awful and start to affect how i acted around others. If you have no other family or friends to speak to there is always local support groups or charities,in particular (and who i personally turned to) MacMillan Nurses.It is an amazing charity which provides information,support and nurses which help cancer patients, but they also have a massive support system for friends and family who know someone who has been diagnosed or has sadly passed away from cancer. They have a phone line available where you can call up and have a chat with one of their specialists who will sit and listen to how your feeling and answer any questions you may possibly have. They also have an online community and local support groups where you can talk. I found this SO helpful when my mother was diagnosed! The ability to speak to somebody for however long you need,knowing they will never judge you allows you to release any burdens or feelings you may have been keeping locked up inside!
If speaking to others about it all is not necessarily your way of coping, another technique which my mum actually did when she was going through her treatment but could be used by anyone really is to write it down. You could keep a diary or even write a blog about everything you are feeling or any situations you have been through.
Another thing to remember while everything is going on is that is not selfish to want to spend time away from anything that is going on or the person who has been diagnosed. I particularly struggled with this, i felt incredibly guilty about leaving my mum or being away at uni while she was at treatment appointments, but i came to realise it isn't healthy to be in those situations 24/7. Of course you should support the individual is suffering, but trust me when i say that nobody would judge you by spending even a short time away. Giving yourself time to make sure you are eating correctly and are mentally stable is highly important and in the long term it will be better for all if you are feeling your best, there is little you can do if you are not feeling right!
One thing i also used to worry about is not understanding what is going on. I always used to think i didn't know what actually was wrong with my mum or what her treatment was actually doing to help her. I found that asking my mums doctors/nurses to explain to me what was going on, as well as asking questions like i mentioned before to the MacMillan nurses phoneline and also family and friends made me feel much more comfortable about the situation as i felt i could understand much better exactly what was going on. By leaving yourself confused and questioning what is going on, you lead yourself to worrying more and feeling more anxious of what is going on. Another piece of advice i would also say is to stay clear of unreliable sources of info, such as certain websites on the internet! By reading the wrong info you can end up worrying yourself more ( which i did at first!). You are much safer asking somebody who will actually be able to answer your questions correctly and will give you more realistic expectations of what to expect.
I am in absolutely in no way a medical expert,but i hope you have found this somewhat helpful. I remember at the time when it was all going on i just did not know where to even begin to turn to so hopefully this post has given you a few ideas. I have been asking on twitter others ways of coping and the biggest response by far was spending time with friends and family and talking together about what is going on!
I have added a few websites and telephone numbers below which may also be helpful:
MacMillan website : here
MacMillan Advice for partners,friends and carers : here
MacMillan telephone number for a chat with their cancer support specialists : 0808 808000
MacMillan 'talk to us' page : here
NHS Direct: here Telephone number: 08454647
NHS24: here Telephone number: 08454 242424
The Samaritans: Here ,Telephone number: 0845 790 9090
If you need a chat or would like to leave me your suggestions of how you coped if you have been in this situation then leave a comment :D!
Love Kristina x
P.s. i am sorry to those who these types of blog posts may not particularly interest if you are simply looking for beauty blog posts, but i really enjoy doing them and if i can help even one person then it is worthwhile :D! There will be plenty of beauty blog posts to come so hopefully you will still enjoy the blog! I appreciate absolutely everyone that comes to check it out!!
Showing posts with label A little personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A little personal. Show all posts
Monday, 5 March 2012
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
A little Personal...
Hi Everyone,
Today's post i guess could be considered a little off topic as it isn't really to do with beauty products but it definitely effects my life on a daily basis and how i look so i thought i would share it with you.
If you follow me on twitter (KBbeyoutiful) then you may have seen mentioning if people would like to read this post and i had an overwhelming positive response so here goes...
I suffer both with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and with depression- which for anybody wondering are completely unrelated to each other. Both of which have an impact in the way i live my life, but with time i have had to learn certain ways and techniques to deal with both of these problems.I thought it may be helpful to some if i would share with in a series of posts the symptoms i personally cope with and how i try to deal with them and also other topics which i have had to deal with in life, so maybe my thoughts might help somebody going through the same thing or just simply inform others who may not have the same problem but are still interested.
First up i thought i would talk about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome so here goes...
PCOS is when usually 1) a number of cysts that develop on the edges of the ovaries, 2) the eggs fail to be released regularly by the ovaries and 3) there is an increased level of male hormones (typically testosterone). It does state however that not all 3 symptoms have to be detected for diagnosis to take place, but myself personally i do suffer with all 3. I had been having irregular periods for many years, in some cases up to 4-5 months apart but did not worry about it as at the time i kept thinking eventually they would become regular! In addition to this, i had noticed excessive hair growth and the speed in which it grew back was incredibly quick. Last year i finally decided to brave it to the doctors and after some blood tests and an examination at the hospital i was diagnosed with PCOS. At the time the doctor was really lovely and spoke to me thoroughly about the syndrome and it's effect, but after i was left slightly feeling i had not been left with ways to deal with such effects.
The are some symptoms which problems i personally suffer with which i have to try and control/ find ways so it does not worry me!
Firstly, excessive hair growth, i had been told there was little that could be done on the NHS (such as laser removal) so this personally is a major struggle!I can literally shave my legs and the next day it can be growing back through! It was one topic which i did get bullied on as a young girl- some girls used to say i looked like a man! It is a constant battle to keep on top of it and i am very paranoid especially in areas such as my face where i feel i can sometimes get very dark hair! I have tried a number of different techniques of hair removal-shaving,waxing , threading,creams but none have had brilliant effects so if any ladies have any suggestions to help this i would love to hear them please!!
The long term worries i have with having PCOS, is the irregular period and the ease of increasing in weight gain (which can lead to further health problems). I have been prescribed various forms of the pill and so far none have worked to making my periods regular. At the moment, it is not something that effects me greatly, but i know when i am older it could effect my chances of having kids so i would like to hopefully find a way of resolving this -again any suggestions from you guys would be greatly appreciated! In addition to this, i do have to be cautious about the weight i gain, as there is an increased risk of diabetes and heart problem with having Polycystic ovaries. To try to overcome this i do try to maintain a healthy diet and i find it important that i go to the doctors regularly for blood tests just to keep on top of my health- i really recommend this to any lady suffering it helps so much to put your mind at ease!
It is important to remember that millions of women suffer with PCOS with varying effects for each woman, but there is a lot of information regarding symptoms and possible treatments to symptoms and also doctors regularly see ladies who suffer with PCOS (i have always had the nicest experience speaking to doctors/nurses about this subject,they have always been so nice!) so please don't ever feel there is nowhere you can turn to for someone to talk to and to gain information. If you think you are suffering with PCOS, i am in no way a medical expert but i do wish i had gone to the docs sooner to get it all the info i could, i would highly recommend you visit your GP for a chat!
If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask! I hope you have found this helpful! Please let me know any suggestions you may have!
Love Kristina x
NHS UK -Polycystic ovary syndrome info - http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Polycystic-ovarian-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx
BUPA info - http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/p/pcos
PCOS Support- http://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/
Today's post i guess could be considered a little off topic as it isn't really to do with beauty products but it definitely effects my life on a daily basis and how i look so i thought i would share it with you.
If you follow me on twitter (KBbeyoutiful) then you may have seen mentioning if people would like to read this post and i had an overwhelming positive response so here goes...
I suffer both with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and with depression- which for anybody wondering are completely unrelated to each other. Both of which have an impact in the way i live my life, but with time i have had to learn certain ways and techniques to deal with both of these problems.I thought it may be helpful to some if i would share with in a series of posts the symptoms i personally cope with and how i try to deal with them and also other topics which i have had to deal with in life, so maybe my thoughts might help somebody going through the same thing or just simply inform others who may not have the same problem but are still interested.
First up i thought i would talk about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome so here goes...
PCOS is when usually 1) a number of cysts that develop on the edges of the ovaries, 2) the eggs fail to be released regularly by the ovaries and 3) there is an increased level of male hormones (typically testosterone). It does state however that not all 3 symptoms have to be detected for diagnosis to take place, but myself personally i do suffer with all 3. I had been having irregular periods for many years, in some cases up to 4-5 months apart but did not worry about it as at the time i kept thinking eventually they would become regular! In addition to this, i had noticed excessive hair growth and the speed in which it grew back was incredibly quick. Last year i finally decided to brave it to the doctors and after some blood tests and an examination at the hospital i was diagnosed with PCOS. At the time the doctor was really lovely and spoke to me thoroughly about the syndrome and it's effect, but after i was left slightly feeling i had not been left with ways to deal with such effects.
The are some symptoms which problems i personally suffer with which i have to try and control/ find ways so it does not worry me!
Firstly, excessive hair growth, i had been told there was little that could be done on the NHS (such as laser removal) so this personally is a major struggle!I can literally shave my legs and the next day it can be growing back through! It was one topic which i did get bullied on as a young girl- some girls used to say i looked like a man! It is a constant battle to keep on top of it and i am very paranoid especially in areas such as my face where i feel i can sometimes get very dark hair! I have tried a number of different techniques of hair removal-shaving,waxing , threading,creams but none have had brilliant effects so if any ladies have any suggestions to help this i would love to hear them please!!
The long term worries i have with having PCOS, is the irregular period and the ease of increasing in weight gain (which can lead to further health problems). I have been prescribed various forms of the pill and so far none have worked to making my periods regular. At the moment, it is not something that effects me greatly, but i know when i am older it could effect my chances of having kids so i would like to hopefully find a way of resolving this -again any suggestions from you guys would be greatly appreciated! In addition to this, i do have to be cautious about the weight i gain, as there is an increased risk of diabetes and heart problem with having Polycystic ovaries. To try to overcome this i do try to maintain a healthy diet and i find it important that i go to the doctors regularly for blood tests just to keep on top of my health- i really recommend this to any lady suffering it helps so much to put your mind at ease!
It is important to remember that millions of women suffer with PCOS with varying effects for each woman, but there is a lot of information regarding symptoms and possible treatments to symptoms and also doctors regularly see ladies who suffer with PCOS (i have always had the nicest experience speaking to doctors/nurses about this subject,they have always been so nice!) so please don't ever feel there is nowhere you can turn to for someone to talk to and to gain information. If you think you are suffering with PCOS, i am in no way a medical expert but i do wish i had gone to the docs sooner to get it all the info i could, i would highly recommend you visit your GP for a chat!
If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask! I hope you have found this helpful! Please let me know any suggestions you may have!
Love Kristina x
NHS UK -Polycystic ovary syndrome info - http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Polycystic-ovarian-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx
BUPA info - http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/p/pcos
PCOS Support- http://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/
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