Re: [MOL] Journaling study

[Martin Auslander <fitecancer@earthlink.net>]

Dear Jean,

May I make a simple suggestion. Whether it be journaling or meditation
or healthy habits.......keep it simple, and make it fun.

I do all what you are trying to do, journal and meditate, and so much
more. If I had to look forward to those things with perfection, then it
becomes a task in which consistancy and constant stress to do these
become a task rather than an enjoyment. YOu are placing so much on your
plate and I would hate to see these as tasks for you. Take one step at a
time, one day at a time and make each of those that you are trying to
do, with fun and love and stress free.

HOpe this benefits. Pls know all I am trying to do is suggest for your
welfare and enjoyment.

God Bless
your friend
marty


Jean Johnson wrote:
> 
> I was looking for journaling sites on the internet (because I want to
> start a journal) when I came across this site that looked like it might
> be of interest for those of you who have had breast cancer.  So I
> decided to send it on.
> 
> While I'm here though, does anyone know of any really good sites, books,
> tips, topics relating to journaling?
> 
> -Jean
> P.S.  When I saw my psychologist today she was very impressed with the
> meditating I've been doing.  And she liked it that I was practicing some
> mindfulness, too, and I'm using the chart she gave me for analyzing my
> "hot thoughts."  She talked a little more to me about nutrition and a
> conference she'd attended recently.  She said the speaker (a professor
> at George Mason University) had said that when the body is out of
> balance due to wrong food choices, it craves substitutes - like sugar,
> alcohol, etc. (Something like that.)  So I searched the internet for
> more info. on good food choices.  There were several articles on the
> connection between food choices and moods.  Also, this professor
> recommended a high-protein drink (?) called "Nature's Plus "Spiru-Tein"
> which can be purchased at Fresh Fields or Natural Food stores.  Lastly,
> she cautioned me drinking diet cokes (that one of my major weaknesses)
> because the Nutrasweet in them is very bad.  She said I might want to
> try carbonated fruit juices or something, anything w/o Nutrasweet.  Made
> me feel that I want to go back & finish reading "Beyond Prozac" about
> the link between diet and emotional health.  It did encourage me to eat
> an apple today.  In fact, I ate two apples today because Michael never
> ate his apple so I figured I'd just eat it myself!
> 
> Anyway, I figure I'll try giving journalkeeping a shot.  I enjoyed my
> meditation tape again today, went for a (very short) walk outside, and
> did a little meditation on my own tonight.  I'm going to periodically
> try to do the one where you picture yourself as the baby you once were
> and express love to yourself.  Seems easy enough to recall & do...
> 
> -Jean
> P.S.  I spoke to Michael about God tonight after I read a Bible story to
> the kids and we talked about praying.  Michael said, in all seriousness,
> that he would let God take care of Kevin (a boy he plays with) because
> he (Michael) doesn't want to take Kevin because he always stinks.  The
> unfortunate thing about this is that Kevin's mother and older brother
> smoke so Kevin nearly always smells of cigarettes and, although I've
> tried to explain to my kids that it is no his fault, my kids can't stand
> the smell.  Oh well...  Shannon didn't have much to say in response to
> the story, but Michael said he would thank God for his Mommy.  Isn't
> that nice?  (I think Shannon's a little afraid of prayer.  Maybe it
> seems spooky to her or something...).  I found a book at the bookstore
> today on teaching meditation to children!  I bought it with the idea
> that eventually I'll teach meditation to Shannon and Michael to help
> them deal with stress and fears, etc.
> 
> My problem with journaling is that I'm such a perfectionist that I'll
> probably feel compelled to start my pages over and over again whenever I
> make a mistake!  I have this "thing" about clean, neat paper.  Oh well,
> I'll try to work around that.  I found one site that suggests filling a
> jar with topics and then picking one topic per day to write about.  It
> even has suggestions for topics for children to write about (and even
> draw about, if they're still too young to write!).  Interesting stuff.
> 
> WELCOME
>           Breast Cancer Journaling Study
>                               Announcement
> 
>                                          April, 1998
> 
>                                         About the Study:
> 
> This is a study to learn about the process of recovery from breast
> cancer from a psychosocial
> perspective. If you choose to participate we will explore the effects of
> journaling on your values, your
> views of what comprises health and well-being for you, and on your
> current feelings about your own past
> life events in view of your cancer. The study will last for one year and
> you will be asked to go to a World
> Wide Web site twice per week to fill out some rating measures and to
> journal your thoughts about cancer
> for the preceding few days.
> 
>                                     Eligibility for the Study:
> 
>      Women of any age who have now or who were diagnosed with breast
> cancer within the past 12
>      years.
>      Participants must be relatively healthy and NOT have other major
> medical conditions in addition to
>      their breast cancer
>      Women admitted to the study must have access to a means of viewing
> web pages - including, but
>      not limited to a computer, browser software and an on-line account.
> (If you are seeing this
>      announcement you probably have these items!)
>      You must be able to read and express your thoughts in the English
> language.
> 
>                              More Details about your Participation:
> 
>      From the people admitted to the study, some will be randomly
> assigned to the control group. The
>      control group will not be journaling or filling out bi-weekly
> ratings, but WILL fill out questionnaires
>      at the beginning and end of the study, and twice during the study.
>      For all participants, it is estimated that filling out the
> questionnaires at the beginning and end of the
>      study will take from one to two hours to complete.
>      For the participants filling out the daily ratings and journaling,
> the time committment each day will
>      range from 15 to 90 minutes depending on the extent of your
> journaling for that day.
>      The daily ratings will be asking you to describe yourself using
> adjectives provided. In addition you
>      will be asked to determine your daily levels of things like
> optimism or pessimism, spirituality, mood,
>      feelings of control, and support from other people.
>      You will receive NO payment for participation in this study.
>      RISKS: The risks associated with this study are possible
> psychological or emotional discomfort or
>      distress in answering questionnaires about how breast cancer is
> affecting you. This distress is
>      usually temporary.
>      BENEFITS: The benefits which may reasonably be expected to result
> from this study are
>      therapeutic in nature. It can be comforting to think about your
> experience and gain insights into
>      yourself and the changes you are feeling. You will also be
> contributing to knowledge about the
>      experience of breast cancer and will aid physicians, therapists and
> women with breast cancer in the
>      future to understand this disease and its effects much better.
>      The study is beginning now, please join us.
> 
>                                      About the Investigator:
> 
>      Avis Austin is a cancer survivor and a doctoral candidate in
> Counseling Psychology at
>      Stanford University. She has worked on studies under the direction
> of David Spiegel MD,
>      author of "Living Beyond Limits" about his groundbreaking work with
> women with metastatic
>      breast cancer. Avis is currently completing her internship in
> Maryland. This study is being
>      used for her dissertation.
> 
>  If you are interested in signing up for the study please fill out the
> consent form. After you submit the consent form,
>  please look for an email within 48 hours confirming receipt of the
> form. Please respond to that email to verify our
>                      communication and your commitment to participate in
> the study.
> 
>  Once you are signed up you will receive an email giving you
> instructions as to when to begin and where on the web
>                                        to point your browser.
> 
>                                         Thank you!!
> 
>                            Questions? Send me mail at
> avis@leland.stanford.edu
> 
>                                           Copyright © 1998
>
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