What To Do When You Have Cancer

This was published about a week ago, but I thought it was funny and provided some good advice: It's called "So You Have Cancer: 10 Things to Do Now, Even if You're Not Warren Buffett," written by the film maker and author Michael Solomon.

It's a short piece -- a list of 10 things -- but I agree with most of them, so they must be right.

The advice is geared toward new cancer patients, but I think it fits all of us.

I especially liked #1, because it's so close to what I wrote in my last entry:

1) Blame Canada -- Or Philip Morris. Or your stress-Nazi boss. Just don't blame yourself. Because even if it is your fault, right now it's not your fault. Nothing about cancer is your fault. Give yourself the Robin-Williams-in-Good-Will-Hunting Hug because it's not your fault. Once you're all better you can get down on yourself for smoking, or eating poorly, or internalizing your parent's guilt trips. For now, stay focused on getting better. 

Because it really doesn't matter how you got it, not at this point. What matters is getting rid of it (or learning to live with it, as may be the case).

I loved #9, too:

9) Turn On Your High Beams -- E.L. Doctorow once said this about writing, but it's true for surviving cancer as well: "It's like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." So each day, just focus on getting to tomorrow. That's the only "long-term" goal you need to be concerned with till you hit remission.  

Such a great way of putting it.

Some other good advice, too, that I tried (and still try) to live by: understand the math, don't get too obsessed, let people know what you want them to know, and have a good relationship with your doctor.

All good advice (although I'm not so good about following #3....)