As I previously mentioned that at one point someone once told me that getting cancer is like walking through a door that only opens one way. Once you walk through it you can never go back to the life you had before hearing those words.
When you walk into the Oncology Office the first time you are not a cancer patient but, when you walk out you be one. It is a very rough realization to have to face and you should not be alone when you start this journey. If you do not have someone to go with you you can contact your local American Cancer Society. They have volunteers to help you along all the steps of this journey.
There are list of questions that you will want to get answers to, they are all over the web. Just search for your specific list; there will be questions there that you may not have thought of. If you are unsure of what questions you should ask you can use the list from the American Cancer Society’s webpage. It is a very comprehensive list to take with you.
If you have someone go with you ask them to take notes for you. Yes, the doctor is going to be talking to you but a lot of what he says is going to sound like the adults in the Charlie Brown cartoons. The questions you will want answers to are what stage you have, what the staging means, has it metastasized (did it spread past the original sight). You will also want to know what the treatment plan is for you. Will you need more surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, long term medications?
If you forget to ask any of these ask your friend to ask them for you. If you both forget you can always call the doctor and ask, email, and there is always more appointments in the future.
Take a deep breath and remember it is ok to cry.