Hope
Here is some very useful information on how to take a pro-active and hands-on
approach in dealing with your illness and diagnosis, prognosis and treatment:
- Be informed, have the most accurate, precise and detailed, in-depth, accurate
and up to date information regarding the illness
- At time of diagnosis, it is important to learn as much as you can about your
condition. Be informed and prepared, empowered and make decisions based on facts,
diagnosis, prognosis and more.
- Regular contact with medical practitioners and care-givers remain of extreme
importance
- Ask any of the questions regarding the disease and treatment that you might have.
Your medical treatment team is the best trusted sources for information and updates.
- Explore and discuss all your options
- Get as much information you can about the stage of development of your disease
and focus on how to make you life most comfortable, how best to treat and deal with
the illness (on your terms and preference, doctors advice and orders of course!)
- Research and support resources, knowledge and interaction with key stakeholders
can help you deal with this lung disease cancer diagnosis – even if the prognosis
is grim.
- Cancer patient resources are freely available to help you through this time and
diagnosis.
- American Cancer Society's Cancer Resource Center (ACS) has numerous valuable
resources and links that can help you stay informed about mesothelioa.
- Always remember that there are various different channels and avenues for dealing
with looking at your symptoms and severity, coping and dealing with the reality,
challenges as well as the aftermath and future treatments.
- Realistic expectations, honesty and open discussion will assist you dealing with
the emotions and complicated rollercoaster you will be left having to cope with
- The National Cancer Institute also has various sources at your disposal. MEDLINE
research and abstracts will keep the best that the market has to offer on research
and treatment at your fingertips. Follow the link provided here for more details.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/fulltext.html.
- There are also some toll-free helplines, like the Cancer Information Toll-Free
Telephone Service (CIS). Contact the CIS, toll-free in the United States and Puerto
Rico, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
- Oncolink is another well-cited online resource for cancer and other relevant
science and topics.
