Content Overview 
- Summary
- Let your emotions settle. A cancer diagnosis is usually not an emergency.
- Contact the doctor who diagnosed you or the doctor's nurse or office manager. Ask for a repeat of the basics, including how long you have to make a decision..
- Take time choosing a cancer doctor - generally a specialist called an Oncologist.
- Focus on getting the medical care you need. A patient navigator can help. Postpone major non-medical decisions until after treatment ends if possible.
- Learn the basics about your cancer.
- Decide whether you or someone else will be the decision maker about your health care. Learn how to maximize time with a doctor.
- Before deciding on a treatment, consider getting a second opinion. Understand the pros and cons of each possibility.
- Think of non-traditional treatments as complementary or in addition to - not instead of what your doctor has to offer.
- Decide who to tell about your condition, when, and how much to tell.
- Think of family and friends as part of your health care team. Ask them for help when you need it. Your health needs should come first, but also consider theirs. If you have underage children, tell them about your diagnosis in an age appropriate manner.
- If you work, whether you are an employee, business owner, or self employed, be cautious telling about your diagnosis right away. There is no legal obligation to tell. Consider taking some time to focus on your condition first.
- Share your emotions. Watch for depression. Consider seeking counseling. Keep busy while waiting for test results. You may also want to consider getting a pet if you don't have one (yes, a pet).
- Start looking at your insurance and financial situation to determine how you will pay for medical care. Even with health insurance, medical care can be costly. Free or low cost care is available if you are uninsured or underinsured.
- Attend to your financial basics. Pay your rent or mortgage and minimums on your credit card. Start keeping track of all medical services you receive and expenses you pay. Don't pay a medical bill just because you receive one.
- Financial assistance may be available if needed.
- Learn to be wise about purchasing, living with, storing and disposing of drugs. Free drugs may be available.
- Drugs and treatments do not work in a vacuum. Start to think of the food you eat, the exercise you get, rest/sleep and even proper care of your mouth as steps you can take to make treatments and drugs most effective.
- Speak with other people who are going through what you are.
- If you have underage children, tell them about your diagnosis in an age appropriate manner. Monitor their behavior. Arrange for their care in case something happens to you.
- Schedule a dental check up.
- If you want to have children, take steps to preserve your ability prior to starting chemotherapy or radiation.
- IF YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS AN ADVANCED STAGE OF CANCER OR AN UNUSUAL OR A RARE CANCER
- ONCE A TREATMENT DECISION IS MADE
Newly Diagnosed With Cancer
Share your emotions. Watch for depression. Consider seeking counseling. Keep busy while waiting for test results. You may also want to consider getting a pet if you don't have one (yes, a pet).
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Let the people closest to you know when you are experiencing stress and fear. Talking helps. As we've already seen, your emotions may be all over the place due to the stress of dealing with the issues at hand as well as the unknown.
Do what you can to relieve the stress. For example:
- Define your fears. If you define your fears specifically, you can come up with solutions to each of them so that so you don't feel so powerless and overwhelmed by them.
- Eat foods that are comfort food for you, even if they're not the healthiest.
- Start doing things to make you feel in control or that help you feel centered. For instance, think of a small project you can start and finish quickly.
Waiting for test results can be agonizing. There are time tested ideas that can help you get through this period. For instance, keep busy. Take advantage of your support systems. If you need help sleeping, get it. Use relaxation techniques. Exercise.
If you get stuck in a down mode:
- Talk with your doctor. He or she may prescribe anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications. AND
- Consider seeking professional counseling. Counseling is for anyone who wants to sort out what they're feeling. Counseling is usually done in person. If that is not possible, you can arrange for therapy on the telephone, or even on line. If your insurance doesn't pay for counseling, many therapists work on a sliding scale and charge according to your means.
Last, but not least, consider getting a pet. Pets are not a substitute for communicating with other people in a similar situation, support groups or therapists. However, they are good for emotional health and have been shown to increase longevity. The pet doesn't have to be a dog or a cat, and it doesn't have to be an attention requiring puppy or kitten. If you have a landlord who prohibits pets, you may be able to have one as an accommodation under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Survivorship A to Z provides advice about how to live with a pet including how not to get any kind of infection from them. Please see "To Learn More."
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