Cancer:- Probably one of the most feared words anyone would wish to come out of a Doctors mouth, you have cancer, when referred to oneself. Unfortunatly cancer of different types are mentioned to often to too many people on a daily bases. Why me? Why now? What am I going to do? My life is over. All of these statements may well describe some of the thoughts that tear through someones mind when they hear this one word from their doctor.
Why Me?
Cancer has no concience. It attacks some times without warning. One day a brown spot on an arm, the next day a melanoma. Reason has nothing to do with the onset of cancers. The human body will have cancer cells dormant in some people all their life and in others the cancer cells will spread inthem and destroy. The fact is you are as individual and as special as anyone else and if cancer chooses to be in your life there is hope as it is becomming more of a cureable illness than ever before with some cancers removed or put in remission for years with available treatments today. Advances in cancer treatment are made on a daily bases and hopefully, in the future the word cancer will be removed from our dictionaries.
What am I going to do?
Firstly, and most difficult, I know, is to look at your cancer objectively, ( Judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices.) The purpose of this action is to allow yourself the time required to obtain all the information available today on your specific cancer. Research, get second opinions, judge from the knowledge obtained which would be the best way to go forward for you. See specialists and try to understand the advice given by these experts before you proceed with treatment. Some cancers require quick descissions and in those cases you need to make your descissions quickly about your type of cancer.
My life is over.
Never true, your life is what it is with or without cancer in it, just more involved maybe with it in it. The reason I say this is there are many people living with far worse diseases or handicaps that are more life threatening than just being told they have cancer. I am sure you can think up many examples that may be worse situations to be in. At least being informed that you have cancer you can now take some sort of action as cancer is not always terminal. Many diseases are.
Finally:
Stay positive, do not fall into a massive depression, get help and support from friends and family and specialists in your type of cancer. Be open to good advice and act on it. Find out everything you can on your type of cancer, the available treatments, ways to respond to it and ow to talk to friends and family about it. more:
The information provided on our site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician.
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