Hi Scott, I saw this when a friend posted on FB. I have a cancer that has metastasized so have some idea what you are going through. Firstly, as a previous commenter wrote, a positive attitude is very important. I can honestly say that since the day I was officially diagnosed I have not had a single dark day. In fact, the small things no longer annoy me. You look at life in a different way. The period between the doctor saying he thinks you might have cancer and doing more tests, and getting the results are tough — both on the patient and his loved ones. I am older than you but still have children in school. I did not broadcast my illness but did not hide it from friends. The support of friends has been tremendous. The most uplifting support has been from cancer survivors who know what you are going through. These guys stay in touch and have been a source of great support and inspiration. One is a former Olympic gold medalist and even did a charity swim with my name written in large letters on his arm! That made me feel so special. As for the treatment, you just have to do it. I went into mine very fit and that paid huge dividends. Treatment (esp. chemo) affects people in different ways. Mine was not that bad. I was lucky. Yes, I lost a lot of hair (it comes back) and I felt very lethargic for a couple of days after each treatment but I did not miss any important work stuff. Good advice from survivors was by all means study up on your illness and treatment but keep away from internet forums where there are always people trying to prove a point, such as “they had it worse than you”. As a fit and young person the odds are very much in your favour. Very often the statistics are taken from group made up of much older people. You have a very storng chance of beating the odds. Stay strong, stay positive and reach out to those who can help you.
