Cancer and the Waiting Room
A Guide to Passing the Time during Cancer Treatment
Going through cancer treatment involves a lot of waiting. Keep the boredom at bay with these simple suggestions.
Having cancer is all about waiting. You wait for a diagnosis, wait for results, wait for surgery, pathology reports, and treatment. Cancer patients are no strangers to hospitals, and especially familiar with The Hospital Waiting Room. Thinking of ways to pass the time can be a challenge, but with a bit of creativity, and a few accessories, the waiting room can be a lot less drab.
Buy a Stylish Bag. Having a stylish tote to cart around your waiting room supplies is step one. Make sure it’s big enough to carry all of your distractions, plus your Cancer Binder (don’t go anywhere without it!).
Earphones and IPods. Bring the portable music player. Load it with tunes that are conducive to escapist fantasies, daydreaming, and getting-down-and-getting-funky. This will help you to not only stay occupied, but stay tuned out as well.
Trashy Mags 101. A trashy magazine – or ten – is a godsend in a waiting room. Hit the hospital gift shop and load up on a variety of easy-to-read, time wasting pop culture drivel. US Weekly, Hello!, Star! are all excellent choices. See what Britney, Paris, and the rest of the lot are up to. Make sure to buy some candy or gum to go with your new “reading” material.
Get Crafty! Are you a knitter, crochet fiend, needlepoint whiz? Take the supplies with you. Start a project that you can stick with. Once you are finished, what you made is sure to take on sentimental value as it will be a marker of your cancer experience. Keeping your hands busy is a great way to pass the time.
Books are Better. Is there a book you’ve been meaning to read for a long time but could never seem to find the time? Now’s your chance to sink your teeth into that epic novel that’s been on the back-burner for awhile. It doesn’t have to be Ulysses or War and Peace – although a challenge is sometimes nice. Anything that tweaks your interest is good. If you’re not a big reader, maybe now is the opportune moment to flex your literary muscle.
Write it Down. Keeping a journal of the cancer experience allows you to put down your thoughts and feelings about what you’re going through, and can be great therapy. A journal can hold all the less-than-pretty things you can’t tell anyone else. It passes no judgment, and is a completely neutral and safe place to say what you mean. Buy a notebook especially for this purpose. Something funky, something pretty, something practical – the choice is yours! Pick up a special pen to match if you’re feeling really adventurous!
The Camera Adds No Pounds. Are you feeling snap-happy? Is that digital camera crying out for some action? Take it with you. Visually documenting the steps through your cancer treatment will give you a unique perspective on the journey and fill your photo album with shots like no other. Try not to censor yourself when taking the photos – you’ll be surprised what comes out!
Take a Friend or Family Member. If you have a great friend or supportive family member who is willing to endure the waiting right along with you, bring her. A deck of cards or board game is a good addition to your arsenal as it will give the two of you something to do to pass the time. Cards are also good if you’re alone – solitaire anyone?
The message – don’t let the cancer experience get you down. The sheer boredom and frustration of waiting is enough to drive anyone over the edge, and the revolving door of treatment is a test of patience. It sucks, it’s true, but with a little planning you can do things to boost your mood and keep your spirits up through it all.
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