Social Environments

This is something that takes a little bit of time to get used to. There are many ways to start re-socializing. You can include yourself in local events and social environments. Also become involved in local support groups and overtime this will help re-engineer your self to feel more normal.

This is a really important part in the growth process and to continue in the direction of finding peace in your life after cancer.

This took a lot of patience on my behalf because because After cancer, my mindset was in a place where I didn’t think anyone could understand where I was mentally and physically.

I had to go through some transition housing after I got out of the hospital due to the stem cell transplant.The doctors want to me to be in a clean environment and eat healthy. At the time I wasn’t open to what I thought was a social environment. What I thought was a social environment was the bar. That was the thing you did it in a resort destination. Growing up in a ski resort town made it Really easy also.

A crucial period of time

When I got home from the hospital and transition houses, I spent a lot of time hiking out of our back door. Snowboarding was my life! So I spent my time doing what the doctor said getting exercise and eating as healthy as possible. I snowboarded it every day that winter. Hiking and just being outdoors helped me work through the fear and anxiety that was going on in my head and prepare me for re-socialization. I was fortunate that my girlfriend (whose now my wife) Had quit drinking a couple years earlier. I didn’t want to drink and I didn’t want to be that fixture at the bar. So I spent a lot of time with my new found family. At the time, Erika was with me through the entire cancer experience and that said a lot for me! Such a positive influence!

Growing up in a resort destination can be difficult because of how transient the lifestyle is. Fortunately some really good people still lived here and supported me through my experience. I started reaching out to them and reconnecting. The people that really cared about me and supported me completely understood.

It became a lot easier as time went on. And that’s the thing about time, it seams to make the healing process tolerable!