Hi Dawn - welcome to the family. We all share your problem, either having the "C" ourselves or as caregiver to someone who does. You will get the support you need here, from people who understand what you are going through.

Get ready for a whole new "normal" in your life. Many things have already changed for you and many more will change along the way. Just one of those things is having to get used to everyone you know now looking at you in a new and different way. They don't know cancer, so their ignorance is what makes them think it's a death sentence. Their reaction is completely predictable and understandable. You don't have to educate them, that would take way too much time and effort on your part. But, what you can do is to show them that this disease is not getting the best of you. And, the way you do that is by maintaining a cheery, upbeat attitude; as close to the old you as possible. Continuing to stay busy and active in the things you like instead of staying at home, inactive tells the world you are beating this thing.

I was lucky, I had very few symptoms during treatment, so it was easy to be upbeat and to continue doing all the things that I normally do. I really didn't have to stop anything. My friends were amazed that I could stay active through treatment. Again, their ignorance made them assume I would be bed-ridden and at death's door the whole time. They were shocked to see it isn't that way for everyone.

But, it is that way for some, and if you happen to be one of them, so be it. You have some rather complicated surgeries coming up, so recovery for you will be harder than it was for me. But all that means is you just have to fight a little harder. You say you are a fighter. Your mettle is about to get tested. You are about to find out what you are made of.

Some days will be easier than others. When times get the hardest for you, that's the time to get on the forum and write, even if you hurt and don't feel like it. Talk about your problems, talk about your pain, talk about your friends, both the ones who are helping you and the ones who aren't. We have all had friends of both types. We are here to listen and to respond. Maybe most important of all is we have traveled your road before you, so we know what you face.

A line from an old movie pretty much sums it all up - "put on your mask, this is gonna be a gunfight. "

Let us hear from you,

Tony