KAREN
From: North Balgowlah, NSW, Australia
Member since: June 2006
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I am a: Patient
Coping with... Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin
Date of Birth: 10/13/64 Date diagnosed: 05/2006 Sex: Female

Prepare to Live Buddy: Yes
Contactable by Prepare to Live members: Yes
Email: marosakd@yahoo.com

01: How has cancer positively affected you: Overwhelmed by the positive support from friends, family, neighbors. Made me realise how 'human' all of are despite getting caught up too much at times in the 'rat race' of life.

02: What does "cancer" mean to you as a Young Adult: I'm young and have a lot of living left and 'cancer' has to be just a another stitch in the tapetry of life for me. I have been having an amazing life so far, and this will be just another story I'll be telling the children when they get older.

03: What’s the one thing you’d say to someone who has just been diagnosed: I've just been diagnosed a month ago so I've been going through a lot of ups and downs. So it's okay to go through the ups and downs and cry, etc. I was talking to someone on the phone after 2 days of being diagnosed who upset me. In the end I had to just tell them I loved them and hung up on them. That was the best thing. Set your boundaries.

04: What things won’t a Doctor tell you: He tells me everything I ask. And I ask and ask and have a list of questions every visit to ask. If I didn't ask, I'm sure he would be quite selective in how much detail to tell me. If you need the detail, ask!

05: What advice do you have for a caregiver, doctor, or nurse who is treating a Young Adult with cancer: Give hugs, no need to talk all the time. Cry, laugh, smile, it's okay for caregivers to feel this too and share in the experience.

06: To me, cancer is: another curable disease in this ever evolving modern world.

07: What is the best kind of support to give/receive: Be with me when I ask, leave me alone when I need time to be with me. Don't feel I'm pushing you aside and don't need you. Bubble bath is nice too...

08: Who or what were your best resources for information: Cancer Council, Leukaemia Foundation. A Patient's Guide...Living with Lymphoma by Elizabeth M Alder, Ph.D.

09: What has helped you the most: Finding out as much as I can on what's going on.

10: What’s your favorite tip or trick for dealing: At the moment, just a few hours in the city on my own with my own thoughts. I have two young children that can be quite noisy! (4 1/2 and 1 1/2)

11: The thing that keeps you going is: My husband, my children, picturing them with me in the future. School recitals, games, weddings, grandkids, anniversaries, travel, etc... Spending time back in Canada with my 'other' family.

12: What are you doing to Prepare to Live: Counting down the number of treatments left (7) wanting to learn more, thinking of ways I can help.