New therapy to combat PTSD that is helping me, this one I invented by accident. 

But warning cancer moms and dads and any trauma survivor, this is not doctor approved.

New therapy: Helping others with your exact trauma.

Oddly, talking to recently diagnosed parents going through diagnosis (which is the worst part) is helping me walk through my own. Today I spoke to two recently diagnosed parents. I spoke to one as his child received his round of induction chemo. I saw him say “I don’t feel good” as he moaned next to his bucket. That pink bucket that I have littered to this day around my house as this is the “party” bag of a hospital stay. Vomit buckets are free of charge.   And I listened to the parents’ concern about not eating and saw the fear in their eyes as they watched their child grow sicker right in front of them.

Honestly this may be the most sadistic therapy, because in those moments I had to relive and recount Jacob’s cancer story to help inform the parents.

However, I had to speak about the trauma with hope, positivity and love. I spoke about our family’s trauma with a positive perspective due to audience. This process forced me to look at my own memories with the knowledge of the today. It forced me to re- categorize those moments of complete fear about tomorrow with knowledge of many tomorrows that followed.

And it allowed me to be useful. It allowed the trauma to not be in vain. That it can be used to do good. That the knowledge I gained through my research and experience, can help others who walk a few steps behind.

So I can’t fully endorse this treatment like drugs and EMDR as it is a bit of a sadistic mind fuck as you watch a child and parent go through trauma, it is a bit traumatic (not going to lie). But it’s oddly helping.