Helping Life To Be Better!

By Dr Pat Giles in 1999

Introducing: Dr. Pat Giles, Formerly Associate Professor of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology OB-GYN, University WA.

He is an acclaimed speaker for Western Australian graduate Doctors and Medical Students.

Presenting: A lecture on “Helping life to be better.”

Disclaimer: Notes recorded by Debby Blettner

Grief can be a very strengthening experience.

Laughter is a great tranquilizer.

There are 3 phases to grief

1st phase – the problems hit you, you receive the diagnosis.

2nd phase– The acute stress is gone but you still can’t see beyond the horizon.

3rd phase– No person’s land in between.

Survivors develop strategies that help them survive.

Phase 1:

After the diagnosis has sunk in, life is grey. Lap up kind gestures and acts of kindness. It does you good.

When words are used in empathy, it is not so much the words, but the emotion that sticks.

The good company of friends is worth a pharmaceutical shelf of medicines.

Praying: say what you feel like.

Take it easy on yourself, have what you enjoy, take it easy on yourself.

Phase 2:

NB: Yoga training was taken up by this doctor, Dr Giles. He did it for 20 minutes a day.

Talk through your worries when you need to, it reduces them significantly.

We want to feel that we are being cared for, mended spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally.

Relaxation is important. Attend concerts and movies.

NB: Dr Giles took meditation and yoga and prayer as an antidote for all the negative, after his child was suddenly killed in a car accident.

One day a week be free from the News.

Walking is the cheapest, least hazardous exercise. Walk leisurely- enjoy social interaction.

Walking by the sea or in a forest helps us to see ourselves as a smaller creation, part of the big picture.

Enjoy good company- good sleep and good food.

Social help– people who help us are very important, relationships are important.

There is a lot of evidence to prove that relationships and touch are very important.

Social support can help people live longer.

Socially isolated – if you are it is difficult to make friends after diagnosis. You should do it before hand.

Spiritual values – become at peace with yourself and your Creator.

Believe that suffering has a meaning and bear their cross with them, or stay with people that have positive outlooks.

Joke: The greatest sin is to overcook fish!

(Everybody present roared with laughter!)

Feel fulfilled by helping others!

NB: After Dr Gile’s tragedy, he blew kisses to people who honked at him at the lights. He said that two women followed him home!

By giving you receive, physically.

People with Aides who helped others, lived 3x longer!

If you have cancer don’t make any big decisions, sit tight.

Seek information, misinformation can be very distressful.

Some people think that cancer is contagious.

For your GP doctor:

• Make a list.
• If you can’t get through it in one consultation, just tick it off as it gets done.
• Get all of the information you feel you need.
• If you feel rushed, confused or intimidated, tell your doctor to slow it down.

For Yourself:

Maintain fitness.

Use different methods of relaxing, feeling good and helping others.

Never let the treatment be worse than the disease.

Anything that is therapeutic has a thorn.

Every therapeutic rose has its thorn.

Keep an open mind, but no so open that your brains drop out!

You’ll be happy if you strive for fitness, feel in control, be optimistic, have friends you can share confidence with.

Many people feel benefited from having cancer. They appreciate things they once took for granted.

Support groups make you feel better and add days to your life. Ventilate feelings, communicate, it helps you to cope.

Despair over diagnosis: sometimes getting the diagnosis can be worse than the disease.

A patient was ready to die and he asked the doctor if he had cancer. The doctor told the patient that he did not have cancer and the patient died with a smile on his face.

Forgive freely.

Prayer – If you pray, you change, and the way you look at life changes.

Happiness isn’t in the future, but here and now with whom you are with and where you are.

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