Little things that helped me cope after diagnosis

Man, hospital water is its own weird flavor, right? I swear it’s like they filter it through a sock or something. I tried bringing those little flavor packets once—game changer. And yeah, music over podcasts for me too. I got so into a murder mystery during a CT scan that I think my heart rate actually made the tech nervous. Fidget toys are underrated...I used to feel silly but now I just call it “stress management.” Whatever works.

I got so into a murder mystery during a CT scan that I think my heart rate actually made the tech nervous.

That made me laugh—my kid gets so into his audiobooks during appointments, he barely notices the pokes or beeps anymore. I agree on the water, too; we just bring our own bottle now. Fidget toys are a staple for us, especially during long waits. It’s funny how something so small can make such a difference.