“You Have Cancer” is one of the worst sentences you can ever hear in your lifetime.

Here are my feelings based on my personal experience.

• Never, never give up the fight.
• Find the best of the best oncologist, surgeon, radiologist, and internist.
• For your emotional wellbeing, find the best psychiatrist and psychologist to give you tools for the healing of the emotional cause of your dis-ease.
• Live in each moment and day to day. You will be given dates for the next scan, test, or appointment. When you reach that date, there will always be more dates in the future. If you stay in the moment you have not spent your time concentrating on the future and “what if’s” and instead you will be living each day as it arrives.
• Imagine and visualize yourself attending events far into the future . For example, your great granddaughter’s wedding, graduation, celebrating your 90^th birthday (even if you are only 50 years old!) You will create that future.
• Follow your doctor’s protocol and make a personal game out of addressing your side effects.
• Don’t shave your head at the first sign of hair loss. Your hair may only thin. Even your thin hair will keep your head warm. If it completely falls out, then shave it proudly. A bald head makes your beautiful eyes stand out. As it is falling out, put screens (found at Bed, Bath, Beyond) in your tub and sink drain. You will avoid hair clogs!
• Rely on the emotional and physical support of profound friendships you will develop on your journey
• You are the most important person on your path. Practice vulnerability, nurture yourself and allow others to nurture you. It is healing for everyone involved.
• Get into your magical canoe. If you see yourself paddling madly up stream, lift your oars and allow the canoe to turn and float down the stream. Surrender to the path your stream is taking you. It has a higher plan.
• Synchronicity and wonderment will happen while you are on your journey. Be sure to journal  or write it down to remind you there is more to this journey than experiencing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation - so much more.