Laughter is important. Try to look for humor in all situations. Avoid negative people and choose to surround yourself with those who have positive attitudes. If you can’t avoid negative people, minimize your time spent with them.

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Be conscious of sadness, crankiness, or problems with sleep, appetite, feelings of despair, lack of motivation and low energy. Social isolation can also lead to depression. Feelings of depression are common during this time. Talk to your doctor.

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Staying positive makes a huge difference. Ask people to treat you as if you were not ill. Concentrate on being in the moment and making the most of each one.

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We repeat, there is nothing wrong with insisting on a second opinion. It is in your best interest to have confirmation of your diagnosis and another opinion on the treatment options. Not all doctors read and interpret test results or treatment protocols the same.

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There are ways to find out about a doctor’s history such as websites dedicated to doctors’ histories, newspaper archives, and your state’s health department. Check thoroughly. Ask for references.

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It was hard to focus on other people’s wants and desires when I first got back to the grind. Nothing felt important enough for me to want to be there. My bad attitudes were born of emotion overload.

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Each culture has death rituals and beliefs. Sometimes it’s hard for others to understand. My son’s nurse sounded the alarm, because according to her bias, we weren’t crying enough, therefore we weren’t grieving correctly. Don’t judge.

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“Tears heal the soul,” said little Cory before he died. Crying is natural when grieving. It’s a healthy response to physical or emotional pain and scientifically proven to reduce stress. Just grab a tissue and let ‘em flow. I did.

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When I needed to cry, I closed my office door and called my friend, Lynn. She listened without interruption or unsolicited advice. She cried with me. Having her friendship got me through the tough times.

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Sadness seeps in when the anger fades. I have suffered many losses, but hands down, the death of my child hurt most. I grieved his losses in addition to mine. Talking to someone helped. Start talking.

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