Sadness. Fear. Anger. Confusion. Hope. There is no right or wrong way to feel about being diagnosed with lung cancer. Nor is there a right or wrong way to react to your feelings. Do what is most comfortable and useful for you.
You may relate to all of the feelings above or just a few. You may feel them at different times, with some days being better than others. It may help to know that others have felt the same way that you do.
Ways You Can Cope
You may be able to keep doing many of your regular activities, even though some may be harder to do. Just remember to save your strength for the things you really want to do. Don’t plan too many events for one day. Also, try to stagger things throughout the day.
Hope
You can feel a sense of hope, despite your cancer. But what you hope for changes with time. If you have been told that remission may not be possible, you can hope for other things. These may include comfort, peace, acceptance, even joy. Hoping may give you a sense of purpose. This, in itself, may help you feel better.
To build a sense of hope, set goals to look forward to each day. Plan something to get your mind off the cancer. Here are some tips from others with advanced-stage cancer:
• Plan your days as you’ve always done.
• Don’t stop doing the things you like to do just because you have cancer.
• Find small things in life to look forward to each day.
• You can also set dates and events to look forward to. Don’t limit yourself. Look for reasons to hope, while staying aware of what’s at hand.