Even Members of “The Lead Pencil Club” Can Use A Blog—It Will Save You Time and Energy

I have a friend who does not like computers, and she describes herself as a member of “The Lead Pencil Club”. Does that sound like you? Either way, using a blog to update people when a family member has cancer can save you a huge amount of time and hassle.
Once your friends and family learn that there has been a diagnosis of cancer, there will be an insatiable appetite for information, particularly amongst those who know the person who’s been diagnosed. If you live with the person who has cancer, you may find yourself endlessly answering the telephone and relating the same details to one relative after another. If you live at a distance, you may be one of the people phoning – and possibly feeling guilty about doing so. It’s important to handle this communication issue, as it can drive the sanest person to distraction.
The most important factor is to set down some boundaries about the best ways to communicate. Is email easier, because you can choose when to reply? Do you, or the person with cancer, like to chat on the phone – but only at certain times? Would you prefer to update one person, and have them pass the information around the family for you?
If you are the one desperately wanting an update, but find it hard to get information, ask the closer family what would work best for them. One way that a family can come together for mutual support at a time like this is to build a private blog or website. A blog is similar to a website, but it is free and takes just minutes to create. This way, people with fresh information can update it so that everyone can read it. If you have a question, you can ask it there, and get an answer from anyone who knows what you are seeking. You can share positive stories, family news, happy memories, and even photos. If you have a family member in their teens or twenties, they can create the blog, and they will feel good about being involved. If not, you can set up a Wordpress blog yourself, or use the system provided at www.caringbridge.org.
To get a Wordpress blog, simply Google Wordpress.com and click on “sign up now”. You will need to select a user name, password, and a name for the blog. It could be something like: TheMcClausen’sCancerJourney. Once you’ve done that, click on “give me a blog”. From there you will find themes such as autumn leaves or a winter wonderland, with clearly marked tabs to insert “posts”, which simply means that you write something that everyone can see. Visitors to your blog don’t need a password to add to or comment on your post. You can cut and paste photos directly into the text area. No html coding knowledge is needed. Those who have the blog name can access it directly. It won’t show up in advertising or other searches unless you want it to. Once you have the blog, you can use it just for updates or to share your story with a wider audience. If you want to do this, you might like to look at some of the blogs listed on Being Cancer for inspiration.
You may find that having a blog is so helpful that you want one for other things you are doing, such as a home based business or a hobby group. The objective is to save time, keep people informed, and get some time to yourself to rest and enjoy a few simple pleasures during this challenging journey.