Things I Want You To Know

Tadi terima satu lagi 'barang baek' daripada support group aku. Dalam e-mail tu, kami diminta membuat senarai tentang apa yang seorang pesakit kanser mahu orang-orang yang dekat dengan mereka tahu. Betul juga kan..bila orang tahu kita sakit, biasanya orang akan tanya atau takut-takut untuk bertanya, apa yang mereka boleh bantu. Cancer treatments can make even the smallest thing a big struggle. Tapi biasanya aku tak ada jawapan untuk soalan tu. Bukan tak mahu dibantu, tapi tak tahu nak cakap macam mana. So, here we go..apa yang aku mahu dan aku harapkan daripada mereka yang sentiasa cuba membantu.

List of things people with cancer want you to know:

• I am scared.
• I need to feel hope.
• I need to feel useful.
• I need to forget and laugh.
• I need to know that you are here for me.
• Sometimes all I need is a listening ear. Simply listening and you don't have to say anything. That helps the most.
• I like to be held in your prayers.
• It's ok to say or do the wrong or stupid thing to me.
• I am more than my cancer. So treat me kindly, not differently.
• I want compassion, not pity. I want comfort, not advice.
• I want you to trust my judgement and my treatment decisions.
• My mood changes from day to day. Forgive me if I snap at you.
• Bear with me on my worst days.
• Telling me to think positively can make me feel worse.
• Don't look at me like I am dying. I can read your body language and eyes, and it scares me.
• I feel bad (and sad) when people decide things for me without asking me in the first place, especially at school.
• Most importantly, I want you to take good care of yourself. Stay healthy!

"Hope matters.."