Jen,

I know, it all happens so quick - one day you are a normal healthy woman, and then, all of a sudden you are one of us!! This time last year I had no idea that I would ever get cancer - nobody in my family had had cancer, it just did not happen to us.
But it happened, and I learned that I can survive it. I even had the bizarre experience of having to be glad that I had oral cancer, because in a followup PET scan they found a kidney cancer that would have grown untreatable without any symptoms. Now I am recovering from a kidney operation, too, in addition to the after effects of radiation last May and June.

And life is good, and worth a big fight!!! I remember the radiation oncologist asking me if I was a strong person, because the radiation treatment would be rough. I felt like asking him, why, do I have a choice? You don't have a choice, you have to fight with all your energy, and your husband's and family's energy, too. And you will find out that you can do it, one little thing at the time. Give yourself permission to put everything you have into getting better, dont let yourself worry about unimportant things like laundry and dust and what you look like.
On the other hand, doing what you can to keep things going smoothly and comfortably, especially for the children, will keep you feeling better.

I ramble again, never mind.

Good luck, remember that everybody on this forum is pulling for you!

Leena