This week has had several pleasant dining out events. On Wednesday my friend Stephanie from Sacramento was in the area and we went to lunch. It was filled with good tasting comfort food and guilty dessert pleasures. Tonight I went to dinner with my friends Stephanie from San Jose and Mike M. Yummmm, Mexican food at El Burro’s in the Pruneyard. My husband and children don’t care for Mexican food so I don’t get to eat it often. I had a hankerin for Mexican and Mike and Steph said let’s do it. It was great fun.
It was pointed out to me by Sacramento Stephanie that I have good luck with friends named Stephanie. She’s right. I do.
3 weeks ago I started an 8 week class at Kaiser called Stress Management for Cancer Patients. The instructor is a licensed therapist and cancer survivor herself. The class has about 15 people who are at various stages and points of cancer treatment and a couple of spouses or caregivers. There are 3 people in the class that are Stage 4 - terminal - but have been that for several years. It has been very good so far. Everyone has stress and anxiety in their lives but this class deals with the common stresses as well as those specific to cancer patients. Last nights class dealt with 3 common fears. The fear of dying, the fear of reoccurance and the fear of stigma. I can admit to having all 3 at one point or another. I am also learning about the cycle of stress and how to recognize it and cut it off in mid-cycle, before it leads to physical problems or more stress. Mental health is as important as physical health but easy to forget about when the physical health is do or die. I want both to be in the best shape possible.
