Cancer Treatment Over The Holidays

Cancer treatment doesn’t stop for the holidays. The appointments, treatments, and surgeries don’t take the month off. So, how do we look ahead to this holiday season while we are facing treatment?

This was my story in 2019 (and in 2024 with my husband’s radiation). I had surgery three days before Halloween. I began radiation treatment for my DCIS on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and finished treatment two days before Christmas. It was a season like none I had experienced before.

Facing serious health challenges during the holidays is not easy. Our family has now done it twice. So, I thought I share some encouragement for you, as you are navigating this season with treatment or recovery. 

1. Prioritize Treatment

If you are undergoing treatment around the holidays, the most important thing on your calendar is your treatment.  

This seems like such an obvious statement. Of course, your treatment is important. But, it was a critical thing for me to embrace at the time.

 My treatment schedule was for 20 sessions of radiation. I would go for five days and then have the weekends off. The schedule needed to be maintained so that the treatment would be effective.  

The radiation treatment center had me come in for my first session on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I had four days of treatment that week and then had four days off. The office isn’t usually open on Sundays, but because the treatments are time-sensitive, they all came in on Sunday so that we could get our sessions in.

My radiation schedule had to come first on my priority list last year. It was the most important appointment on my calendar every day. I also needed to  allow myself the freedom to prepare for and recover from the treatment.

2. Adjust Expectations

The holiday season will look different if you are undergoing treatment. Adjusting our own expectations of what it means to celebrate is important.

Last Thanksgiving was a very different one for us. It was the first time that we celebrated just with the four of us. We had been invited to celebrate at my sister in law’s house, but I was not sure how I would be feeling after my first week of radiation. As the treatment approached, I began to feel anxious and worried about whether I would be able to travel and enjoy the time with our extended family.  

Dave and I talked and we decided to stay home. We were both concerned about the radiation fatigue that I might experience as a result of treatment.  

I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be up to cooking either. Dave and the boys were planning on cooking the turkey, but then I got a call from a sweet friend from church. She wanted to cook us Thanksgiving dinner and bring it to us.

I was amazed and humbled at their service. I’ll never forget how I felt when they came to our door with the feast. It was such an absolute blessing.

Thanksgiving 2019 was a different holiday for us. There were four of us at the table, eating delicious food, lovingly prepared for us.

It was not what I expected, but it was a meal to be thankful for.

3. Do a Little – If You’re Up To It

I love decorating the house for Christmas. We have so many wonderful decorations that have been passed down to us from both sides of the family. I have nativity sets that have special homes and two Christmas trees to enjoy!

I thought about just skipping the Christmas decorating and leaving the fall decorations up. Or, perhaps just paring down a little.

But, I love Christmas decorating and enjoying the twinkling lights of the tree while I relax on the couch. I thought about how much I would love resting and watching the Christmas tree sparkle.

Somehow, the decorations were going to go up.

I had the boys get all the decorations out shortly after Thanksgiving. They arranged the boxes in the dining room so that I could get to them easily.  

Every morning for the next week or so, I would do a little bit of decorating. I would set my timer for about 15 minutes and get a few things out while playing some Christmas music.

I felt lousy, but I loved doing it. I enjoyed the ability to feel like something was normal, even though I was spending my afternoons at the radiation center.

I had the boys put up the Christmas trees and put all the ornaments on them. I remember sitting on the couch watching them organize the Hallmark ornaments in just the right places on the tree.  

Last year, all of their favorite ornaments went up on the trees!

I got great joy out of doing just a little bit of decorating as I felt up to it. I didn’t do it for hours, because I didn’t have the energy, but that was ok.

If you’re feeling well enough, do a little decorating, or online shopping. Perhaps you can sit and wrap a few gifts.  

Then, take a break, drink some hot chocolate, and put on your favorite holiday music to rest!

4. Order your Holiday Meal Pre-Made

I finished radiation on December 23rd. I was sunburned and exhausted, but I still wanted to see the family.  

The house was decorated, and mostly clean, but was I up to cooking?

The answer was, most definitely not!

We decided to order our Christmas meal from a local restaurant. This is not usually the way holidays are done in our family. I come from a long line of cooks, on both sides of the family. There are special dishes that only make their appearance on certain holidays!

But, last year was different. We ordered the Christmas meal from Mimi’s Cafe. Our guests contributed to the feast, and I didn’t cook!

I’m so glad that we ordered the meal. I was definitely not up to cooking a holiday dinner, but I so enjoyed the time with our family.

5. Simplify

As you’re looking ahead to the season, I’ll encourage you to find ways to simplify this time. Prioritize treatment and don’t be afraid to say no to things.

One of my favorite things to do on Christmas Eve is to bring homemade cookies to my neighbors. 

I have about five cookie recipes that I love to make each Christmas season, and then we make plates of cookies and walk them around Christmas Eve. 

Last year, I didn’t bake any cookies. I wasn’t up to it. So, that tradition got put up on a shelf. I needed to simplify and make some cuts to my normal holiday routines.

Simplify what you can this season so that you can prioritize your recovery and health during treatment.

6. Delegate

There will be things that you are just not up to doing this year, but are still important to get done. Ask your support team and your family for help.

Things may get cleaned or wrapped differently when someone else does it for you. That is ok! Your job is to get through treatment and recover. If you don’t have the stamina or energy to do things, then please ask for help!

7. Find the Joy

Going through treatment during the holidays is challenging. It can be hard to smile through the side effects and the exhaustion. 

What can you do that will be uplifting for your soul? Perhaps you enjoy watching funny movies on TV. Is there a holiday beverage that you like? Maybe listening to holiday music will help you feel more joyous.

When I was going through radiation it was the start of the Christmas Season. I loved watching my radiation center transform with the holiday decorations and music. The decorations and the warm spirit of the doctors and the techs brought me joy. 

 I also chose to listen to my absolute favorite Christmas music during treatment. I loaded the entire Nutcracker Suite onto my AppleWatch and listened to a part of it each day.  

I found little ways to be joyful through the exhaustion last season.  

The holidays last year were very different for our family because I was going through my radiation treatment. We didn’t have the outings and the big dinners that we are used to.  

How are you walking through this holiday season? Do you have any tips to share on how to get through the holidays while you are going through treatment?