Guest post by Mike Linn. Opinions are those of the author.
Finding out you have cancer is brutal, complicated, and life-altering.
I’ve gone through the process three times, so while I clearly need to work on solving the problem itself, I’ve gotten pretty good at responding to the flurry of emotions and negative changes that happen once your oncologist gives you ‘the talk’.
While there aren’t one-size-fits-all solutions for your cancer diagnosis or situation, this list of action items to follow up a cancer diagnosis is likely to help you if you’re looking for some structure during the most stressful time of your life.
What to Do If You’re Diagnosed With Cancer
It is important to consider your own strengths and weaknesses in day-to-day life and assume that you will need the positives while having to cover more for the negatives.
Take Notes or Record Your Appointments
You’re about to enter a world of new terminology, adapted biology, and getting very sick of repeating your name and date of birth to hospital staff. Your brain gets fuzzy quickly.
During my first diagnosis, my ex-girlfriend was smart enough to start taking notes immediately. This information proved valuable in getting me through the earliest hoops and into treatment, as it prevented clerical errors or offices playing phone tag - which happens more often than anyone would like to admit.
After that, I made it a habit to bring a notebook to appointments throughout treatment. Eventually, I got comfortable using my phone - in fact, I have an audio recording of me receiving my second stage 4 metastatic melanoma recurrence diagnosis. Fun!
Luckily, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, because Manta Cares already did. Their proprietary planner, notebook, and diagnosis-specific guides are designed to help patients at critical times.
Get a Second Opinion
The process of getting a diagnosis is often complicated, expensive, and traumatic. The decision you and your medical team make about treatment and standard of care will have a lasting impact on your life.
This is why it’s so important to get a second opinion; not because you don’t trust or respect the first doctor you’ve been matched with, but because it will reassure you and the medical team you ultimately work with.
A doctor should not be offended at a second opinion request, and this is especially something you should pursue if you don’t like the bedside manner or approach of your first clinician.
Clean up Your Diet & Nutrition
I am a lifelong competitive athlete and I focus on eating healthy in my daily life. That being said, I’m a sucker for sweets and I don’t mind a beer every now and then.
This changes when I am going through a cancer diagnosis and starting treatment. As challenging as it is, I have decided that the best way to start a new treatment regimen is by eating no processed foods and only drinking water so that my body is as flushed out as possible when I begin treatment.
Doing this allows me to see how treatment affects my body at its purest baseline. From there, I can expand my diet back out as much as I want. It is a difficult balance - cancer patients also require nutrients and often have difficulty eating as a side effect of some treatments. Always make sure to consult your doctor or a dietician about how to approach your eating habits during treatment.
Hire a Therapist or Counselor
I’m not a ‘Therapy Guy’ - never have been, and I’m still not fully sold on needing it personally despite going to therapy off-and-on ever since my cancer diagnosis. However, I have gained valuable tools and would highly recommend that anyone going through the stress of a cancer diagnosis at least try therapy.
It’s OK to stop therapy once you start if you don’t like it. It’s OK to switch therapists. It’s also very likely you’ll enjoy it and find relief from being able to express yourself in a safe space. I know that throughout my first diagnosis and treatment, I was too reliant on my friends and family as therapeutic listeners, which probably was not a healthy choice.
Try therapy.
Find Peer Support
It can be overwhelming to constantly hear clinical data, medical terms, and platitudes from friends and family who (hopefully) haven’t gone through cancer.
Similarly, while your medical team and immediate support will be critical to your success throughout cancer treatment, it’s important to hear from people who understand what you’re going through. This creates a need for peer groups where cancer patients can vent, share fears, ask for anecdotal advice, and more. Many cancer clinics have in-person patient advocacy groups, so be sure to ask your oncologist or a staff member about potential resources.
Social media is also a great connector of patients - it’s likely that you can find someone who has gone through a similar struggle. I know that seeing other stage 4 melanoma survivors has been incredibly heartening for me, and it’s part of why I continue to share my story.
I wish you as much success as possible in yours.
Our team “gets it”
The Manta Cares team is composed of cancer survivors, caregivers, oncologists and nurses - so we truly understand the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis because we’ve been there. We are here to walk with you as you go through your own cancer experience. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We have even developed Your Cancer GPS™, a platform with disease-specific step-by-step maps to show you all the paths you might face during your cancer experience, future treatment options and connect you with relevant support and resources. Sign up for access to the Your Cancer GPS™ platform here.
Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and check out our free resources like our Chemotherapy Checklist for Caregivers, Financial Checklist for Cancer Treatment and more. We also put out a bi-weekly podcast called the Patient from Hell to educate, empower and hopefully inspire you as you go through this crappy experience. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Dealing with cancer as a patient or caregiver can feel really lonely. Just know that you are not alone in this experience.
About the author
Mike Linn is a writer, athlete, business owner, and now a cancer patient advocate. He was first diagnosed with stage 3c metastatic melanoma at the age of 30 and had a stage 4 recurrence in 2023 at 35. In a better effort to understand the mental health side of being a cancer patient, he began posting content to social media and support groups and has yet to stop talking about his cancer experience both personally and professionally. Mike also loves candy and is determined to dispel the notion that sugar specifically feeds cancer - or he is at least hopeful that research will prove this.
Disclaimer: All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.