KatieB Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 What advice would you give to someone you just met, who was just diagnosed with LC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I would say. Research, research, research the more one knows, the better one is. Don't leave any stone unturned. When in question, seek a second/third opinion. Stay positive. Focus on living, not dying. Focus on what one can do, not what one cannot do. Will be good days and bad days. Will see the best and worse of people as one goes along. Will be a roller coaster ride to say the least. Join a support group, see in person how people are dealing with it and what they are doing. Don't get caught up in the blame game, anger, what ifs etc. Keep moving as best as one can. Don't sweat the small stuff. Take it one step, one day at a time. Attitude and perception goes a long way. Never give up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhutch1366 Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Don't worry about tomorrow until tomorrow comes..... XOXOXOX MaryAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Cry, sob, yell, scream, drop to the floor and kick, break things, curse GOD. Once you get all those feelings out, stand back and look at the situation, form a plan of attack and go to war with the Cancer. MOST important...KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE" jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDianneB Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 What they all said - plus this: Keep copies of records -- hospitalization, lab work, scan reports, and if you can get them, a copy of your actual scans on a CD. This keeps you "portable." If you should decide to change doctors or get a 2nd opinion, you will have much of what they need if you keep copies. It can get cumbersome, so get a big notebook and organize them into sections that make sense to you. This has also been helpful to me as sort of a medical "diary" to look back and see where I've come from -- I make lots of notes on the reports! Most of all, don't give up. Don't crawl into a corner and think that you are automatically doomed. Di Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Get a second opinion. Participate fully as a team member in your care. Have a primary caregiver/advocate to help you. Join a support group. Don't worry about statistics -- everyone is different. Ask a lot of questions. Have faith, have hope, have love. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 The first thing I'd say (and have, on several occasions, to newbies in my onc's office) is that what we ANTICIPATE about treatment is often far worse than the REALITY. Don't fear the treatment. Welcome it. Second...get a pocket calendar and keep track of everything on it....appointments, dates of scans, MRIs and other tests. Make note in the calendar of headaches, nausea, any significant symptom and when it occurs. Write out a sheet of ALL the medications you take and the dosage. Then write down ALL the medical conditions you currently have. Then write ALL your prior hospitalizations, surgeries or significant illnesses. Keep a copy of this with you at ALL times as you'll be grateful when you can give it to someone to copy instead of having to fill out 27 forms each time you see a new doctor OR have a new test scheduled. Hospitals like to do things over and over again ...like having you fill out the same blinkin' form EACH AND EVERY TIME you have a scan or MRI. I circumvent this forced writers cramp by keeping a copy of meds, conditions, procedures in my wallet at all times. Update it periodically. Most important....don't succumb to the fear. Fear is a part of this diagnosis and journey...but it doesn't have to RULE it. Deal with the fear and then focus on the positives...there ARE treatments, there ARE compassionate medical people who WILL fight for us as hard as we fight for ourselves...and more and more, cancer is becoming just another chronic illness to treat. Ignore the stats. People aren't stats...we're individuals. A good spirit, some humor and a positive outlook can carry you a long way, even with a diagnosis of cancer. And give something back, somehow. Whether it's a donation of time, money or a craft....there are lots of ways to "give back"...either to your local cancer center or hospital...or a support group. The idea is to simply to give something back because it's a good reminder of how blessed we are to still be here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkala Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Join LCSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvmydog2 Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 All the above posts are good ones. I would have to say 1) stay positive. It is a death sentence only if you want it to be. 2) keep a good humor and laugh a lot. This will help to take your mind off of things. 3) Pray. God can not answer a pray that He does not hear. Miracles do happen everyday. I, as well as lots of others here, are living proof of that. 4) talk to others. LCSC is a good place to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I could add nothing else to what our panel of experts has already said! How lucky are all of us to have such experts among us! Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 All great advice and since we just recently met a very sweet elderly Lady just DX"ed with SCLC we told her pretty much what has been said here and she seem's to be handling it all quite well and up beat.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggiesmom Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Not great at this but I would say that the best you can do is: Never give up Ignore the statistics Enjoy every day Fight really hard When you're afraid, pray Pray some more If you're not sure, get another opinion. Stay here with us, we'll help you. Joanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Breathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyn Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 hmmm this is a tough one.... first I would say its okay to cry and be madder than hell... then.... take a deep breath and regroup cos you need that energy for positive things. I agree with those before me who say RESEARCH... you can never know too much and you can never ask too many questions of your doctors. Be an informed patient or caregiver. Also, try not to spend the days you have here on Gods great earth worrying about the days you might not have here in the future.... its a waste of time. I did that when Daddy was sick... and I regret it to this day.... my last piece of advice is probably the most important... Pray.....Pray with every ounce of your being... God is always, always listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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