How to Get Organized

[3mtrship]

A nice members statement recently reminded me of a situation I ran into after I found out I had Prostate Cancer in 2004.

During the initial consult when the Dr. delivered my bad news and I went deaf at the words "You have Cancer." We went home. We talked some and I started browsing the WEB looking for additional information.

I began to find it. I started saving places to our Favorites and as we use Explorer that folder started to get pretty junked up with all the stuff I was finding. We started to suffer INFORMATION OVERLOAD.

I joined a few web sites and lurked for a long time reading because I was too scared to speak up. I did not know anything. I did not like being in that position. I did not like having Cancer. I felt guilty lurking. I did not like being there but there I was none the less. This was all done often late at night because I could not sleep.

This forum is not the proper place for any technical discussion. But I do think a few simple comments about how to get organized might be appropriate.

My recommendations for getting organized are simple.

1. 0pen the HELP file for your browser and learn how to make Folders and Subfolders so well that you can do it blind folded. Plus, learn how to Name or Rename them.

2. Learn to Save, Copy & Paste, Drag and Drop resources into the folders and in many formats. Text, Explorer MHT, JPG's, Bitmaps, Word and Works are a few.

3. Learn how to Prune to reduce clutter.

4. Lurk and Learn about Your Illness, Treatment Options, Doctors, Possible Results or After Effects, Building your Treatment Team, Effect on Families, Effect on Sexuality..................to infinity.

5. I now have 0ver 2500 sites in Explorer Favorites. Not all are related to cancer or sexuality but they are organized rather well and any of you could browse then easy.

6. Join a site when you can see good being done by mostly volunteers and comment is mostly positive and helpful.

7. Realize that many have your same fears and it is OK to be afraid. Cancer and ED are mean stuff and we know that.

8. Go harvest and prune all you want and good luck on your journey. We want you to be healthy and for this Site to go away as "No Longer Needed." Strides are being made in this fight and sometimes by us. But this fight is very much needed at this time.

You are the patient. You have a direct responsibility to take care of yourself and the sooner you face that, the better off you will be. Illness will drag you kicking and screaming into the rest of your life. Illness will change your life.

All of these things are OK because it is your life now after your illness was found. What was normal is no longer. You must find your New Normal.

I wish you well on your journey and safe passage my friend.

If any of you have questions please ask.

Jim

P.S. Study my signature block and you will see there is life after Cancer. That is our combined wish for you as members of this board and as people who care.

[jn1421]

Thank you Jim,

Most of the time I don’t pay attention to the uneventful moments of life as they happen; I ignore them while trying to maintain the present, necessary and urgent. Sometimes big things happen unexpectedly, seize my focus and change everything. Trying to sort through it all can be daunting.

Thanks for showing us how to get organized and maintain it.

Dave