[Sherryg683]

Hi Brina, I was diagnosed stage IV also. This month I celebrated 5 years of being alive and cancer free since my intial chemo rounds. The chemo is doable and will be over before you know it. Your life will however change and it will take sometime to get use to your new normal, the emotional and physical side of it. You will cry have breakdowns, fight and be fearful...all of which is normal. You have to let yourself go through all this without feeling that you are being weak. There will come a point when you won't be thinking about the cancer every minute of the day and that's when your new "normal" will begin. I had buried myself a thousand times when I finally decided that I was ruining what life I had left. So about 3 years ago, I decided that I was going to try and put all the bad fearful feelings in a "box" and not open it unless I had to. That box opens itself up every now and then, especially around scan time but then I shut the lid back down. It doesn't help to worry all the time. For you, this point may take some time to get to. Like I said, take everything at your own pace and be kind to yourself. ..sherryg