lovecommacancer

A couple of weeks after my husband completed his last round of chemo, we ventured out on a weekend getaway and stayed in a lovely country inn. I highly recommend this approach to the end of chemo. The long walks, relaxing baths, wine-tastings at the local vineyards, lazy lounging and reading. Ahhhhhh. But I digress. More about that weekend another time! So anyway, the innkeepers were incredibly kind and crafty–as in the DIY kind of crafty.  Lucky for me the female innkeeper (the craftiest of the two) and I hit it off so much so that she invited me to a DIY tutorial in her craft room. Before showing me how she makes her soaps and other bath products, she stated that her guiding philosophy in making home and body products is “Do no harm.” I thought to myself “That’s a pretty unambitious goal, but okay.” Before long, though, her words resonated with me and became my own guide in my novice attempts at complementary health treatments and DIY adventures. I may not be able to solve my own or my husband’s problems through homemade soaps, sprays or scrubs or essential oils, but I might be able to help increase our comfort, appearance or general sense of well-being. If not, well okay (maybe next time), but at least I can make sure the things I make or do don’t hurt anyone! It’s a low bar, I know, but somebody’s got to set it!

Real tip #1: Have fun and make a mess in your craft room or kitchen, but make sure your ingredients are organic when possible, nontoxic and non-irritating! Do no harm!

That said, I’ve found some really great DIY Recipes that really did help J and all of us through chemo and beyond and will post them on my DIY Recipes page!

One of the best things about trying DIY recipes at home is the fun you’ll have making them. It brings out the creative juices and when you experience an epic fail, it provides a good laugh! And as we know, laughter is indeed the best medicine!

Real tip #2: Laugh your way through your DIY mistakes! It’ll make you feel better, heal faster, and you’ll be make new, fun memories with your loved ones.