thank you all for the advice. It's a big help to know that there are others out there who have also suffered through this. i am open to any advice/experience that you all can offer. this is my first experience in the cancer world. I've had acquaintances who have been diagnosed but fortunately no one close to me. SO it looks like I'm it. So if you could all forgive my ignorance at times i think i'll be able to muddle through this. thanks again and I will check in again after my 1st meeting with my rad oncologist on thurs.