Newly Diagnosed? Overwhelmed, Lost?

Welcome, cancer is now a part of your life, but it definitely is NOT your life and certainly does NOT define you, although with the series of losses associated with cancer, it can sometimes feel that way.Here's a few things you can do to stop the alienation.

#1 Pick up this book Hope Begins In The Dark. This book contains stories from 50 cancer survivors, it's specifically Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors, but don't let that stop you if you have some other kind of cancer- the challenges and crises we all face as cancer survivors (and I say survivor whether or not you are at day one of diagnosis or 12 years in remission- you are now a survivor if you have this dis-ease- so welcome to survivorhood!). I recommend this book first and foremost because it will give you courage, make you laugh and cry and inspire you to make this experience with cancer the best it can possibly be and you won't feel so ALONE. You will be exposed to 50 different ways people handled cancer (p.s. I am also one of the survivors in this book). This book is FREE, so go to the website and hook yourself up!

#2- Start talking. Tell people, ask people if they know others who have been through cancer and make lunch dates or telephone calls and increase your knowledge and thus your power! You can also call your local branch for your particular cancer, for lymphoma or leukemia that's the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you have breast cancer, a great help is Young Women's Breast Cancer Survival Group You'll meet other people who have already traveled your road. Talk to people, I promise you, it will help.

#3- Buy a journal and start writing down your feelings, experiences and emotions. This will really help you channel some of these confused chaotic energies into something meaningful, just for you. Make it your practice.

Check out Betsy De Parry's story - she turned her journal into a book: "The Roller Coaster Chronicles" and Betsy says aside from the book, the journaling helped her gain insight into herself, her cancer journey and her life!

I haven't read her book yet, but I tore through her chapter in Hope Begins in the Dark and LOVED IT! She's a great writer.

As we all know by now, illness is not just about the body. We are multidimensional beings: physical, spiritual and emotional...we act on each of these levels to increase our well being...

Love and Light,

Dr. Regina