Dear mmchap2120,

I am so touched to think that my message has been helpful to you. You certainly deserve it! I have learned so much from others here as well. One thing that was offered to me by a cancer survivor I encountered through my work earlier this year who is much younger than me but has been through so very much more (and was diagnosed with a cancer that was in stage IV ), is that work is being done by dedicated doctors and scientists all around the world, all the time, and we just do not know what might become available in the near future that is not now possible. I was slow to grasp that as a source of hope, but now feel that for myself...that if I can just care as well as possible for myself each day, (taking one slow, deep in-breath and exhale at least every hour, getting up and moving my body at least a few minutes every hour, [even work tells me to stay seated], eating as well as possible without stressing about it, finding beauty, kindness, humor or fun around me to notice and savor, resting when I can, and connecting with those who care about me when possible), I may be making it more possible that some kind of treatment will surface that will serve me. That helps me to focus on the present (not a dark, unknown future) a little more, and I feel a tiny bit less scared. When I can't get myself out of being stuck in terror, I ask for help...either here/a support group, from those around me, or from a professional who can help me with it. You've got two more days before you can find out more information that will provide choices and a pathway forward. I will continue to keep you in my thoughts. And now, I will reach back out to the woman who gave me that advice, thank her, and let her know how much that helped me. You've been an inspiration to me, mmchap2120! Thank you!

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