Top-10 Things to do when you are diagnosed with cancer
Ten
Say “Hello” to Web M.D. and validate its existence.
This may be one of the rare moments Web M.D. is correct in its assessment that you have Cancer.
Nine
Punch a wall.
Carefully…You may bruise easily…
EIGHT
Be wary of pulling an Alice and falling down a rabbit hole of research…
Unless you are Googling why Ask.com fired Jeeves or why you can’t buy Dunkaroos in bulk. I mean seriously, what am I supposed to do with a 6-pack?
If you are someone who likes to research the facts and figures, don’t determine which side of the statistic you are on before you give yourself a shot.
Someone needs to make up that .6% survival rate. Why can’t it be you?
SEVEN
Take a deep breath. You might have forgotten to do this when your world was turned upside down.
Your lungs will thank you.
SIX
Cry, yell, order yourself custom Hocus Pocus themed cake pops in the middle of June.
(Totally hypothetical and in no way based on any real-life experiences…)
This is for you to process, however you need.
Unless it involves criminal activity. Maybe leave that to Walter White.
Five
Buy stock in Depends…
More on that later.
Four
Get a notebook and write down any thoughts, questions, feeling you have rattling around in your head.
Before Chemo Brain even sets in, the shock of being handed a Cancer diagnosis may make it hard to organize your thoughts.
For a little help, see “Top-10 Things To Ask Your Oncologist About” for a list of sample questions to ask your Oncologist.
Three
Get ready to be your own advocate.
Remember: the patient is the client. Quite often we are made to feel the other way around.
You have the final say in your Treatment and how many ice cream sundaes you want to eat right now.
Two
Give yourself the day, and then start looking into possible Doctors. You do not have to go with the first one you meet.
Even if you do not have the luxury of looking outside of your local community, start calling for appointments as soon as you are ready.
You will quickly learn that the medical industry is like that annoying friend who is incredibly passive-aggressive when you are late but who rarely shows up on time themselves and is impossible to get ahold of.
We all have one.
One
Remember that you are not alone.
This next fight will not be easy, but Badasses never do what’s “easy.”
We’re all rooting for you.