Download Candy Crush. It is the mind numbing nonsense your mind craves.

Get off the scale.
Seriously. You may lose. You may gain. You may have stuff coming out of both ends. You may eat nothing but chocolate bars or bananas.
Whatever.
Do not worry about the scale.

Buy tissues. You cry a lot.
And your nose runs during chemo (remember the lack of nose hair. It's really crazy.)
Yup. Loads of tissues.

Tell your spouse (parent, child, BFF, dog) that you are sorry.
Because you will be.
Because you will be taking out your frustration on them at some point.
This may last a really long time.
It's OK.

Put your hair products away for safe keeping but far enough away that you don't see them.
It's amazing how a curling iron can make you into a giant puddle.
Hypothetically speaking.

It's doubtful you will be able to concentrate on reading but God bless you if you can.
It's doubtful you will concentrate on anything for very long but you know, God bless.

You may only want to interact with fellow cancer patients/survivors.
You may want to hug them.
Hug.

Download depressing music coupled with uplifting music.
There will be times when you crave both.
Get new headphones. You deserve them.
And new comfy socks.
Which has nothing to do with music or headphones.
Unless you dance around the house in headphones and new comphy socks.
Which is totally your prerogative. Cancer or not.

For my fellow breast cancer peeps, hold off on the new bras.
For a very long time after reconstruction.
You morph for a really long time.

There is no timeline.
There is no finish line.

This is it. New life.
Do not expect to one day wake up and be done with it all.
You won't be.
You may fool yourself and think you will be, but you're not.
Sure there are brighter days and happier days and days you forgot what it felt like when you swore an 18-wheeler ran over your head - but it's still there.

Not the cancer, hopefully, but the aftermath.
Whether it's a treasure map of a body or a small scar - it's a part of your story now.
It's OK that it's still there.
Just dont dwell on it all the time.
There's a time to move on but it's OK if it's not completely.
That's part of your story and it's been written in ink.

Oh. A fluffy blanket doesn't hurt with the comfy socks.

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