What would you tell yourself on the day you were diagnosed?

Hi

Take a deep breath and give yourself a few days to move on from the state of unreality that you feel right now. It might seem like you're looking in from outside. I felt that. Almost like a news broadcast that you are part of but somehow you're not. But you are of course but like most new things it takes time to get used to. As you get used to the idea of having an illness you never really thought you would have you will seek to validate the evidence by reading, listening to others and slowly, very slowly it seems to become more real but manageable. You can do it. And you will.

The biggest boost to me in the very early days was hearing from someone I knew who was a lot more ill than I but she wrote and told me about her experience. She was so positive in describing her observations and feelings. Through her I found out about a local group that meet every month and I am in awe of them all. They are so strong and powerful and they have been (and some continue to be) going through horrendous sounding experiences. It humbled me to join such a lovely group of supporters (of each other) and it shows me we are all capable of being frightened, feeling alone, scared but human. We are all real people and can help each other so much. And by helping others build their individual knowledge base it binds us together. I am so grateful for the support I have been given.

I would tell myself not to bottle things up. It's ok to cry , regardless how small I think I'm crying over.  Talk to people.  Use the Breast Care Nurses .  SLEEP.  Love yourself 

Hi i too have had gallbladder cancer only thought i had gall stones. It was a shock thats for sure. Xx

100% agree!  I am about to make my last(!) visit to my Head and Neck team (5 years since last active treatment ) following 35 radiotherapy sessions and nasty operation to clean up what was left of my tonsil cancer. 

I am 79 years old now (less 6 weeks) and live on my own.........

"I started my new life,  and I have learnt a lot not just about cancer but about myself. The whole experience has made me confront my deepest fears and deal with them," ...... me too,..... I learned to live with my new mouth and lack of saliva.

Trucker61 said:

I'm a better and stronger human being, it has taught me I'm  a lot and in a strange way I'm grateful to have had this experience to help me find a peace and tranquility  that is the new person I've become. 

I think, wither you like it or not, cancer and its often brutal treatment changes you deep ,deep down ....I think the "New" old me is a better person, at least to myself on abasic level.

"The new old me." That's a good phrase for me to remember, thank you. 

I had my upper left lung removed about 4 weeks ago and still tge pain is real and im suffering from nerve stuff my calf and foot are always asleep. 

Take whatever time you need to recover.  Take help from family and friends.  Reach out to support charities like MacMillan.  Believe in your recovery however slow.

You are not alone is what I would tell myself.

I remember receiving the news I had breast cancer from two amazing women, my breast surgeon and my breast care nurse, whose whole attitude was essentially, "we've got you" and I felt so supported.

But when I left that room, I suddenly felt so alone. 

It was when I started the hunt for the other types of support the medical professionals couldn't give that I realised just how not by myself in this I actually was!

Hello Stewey,

I'm Derek, one of the community champions on the lung cancer community, can I suggest you join us and post your comments / questions there? 

You're sure to receive replies from and suggestions from those of us who have undergone surgery.

I've placed a link below and look forward to seeing you there.

Lung cancer forum

I was literally being told yesterday about the cancer. What I told myself is that how bloody lucky I am to incidentally find this at an early stage. All is going to be ok,  painful, stressful etc but I will get better and learn something along the way.