Imagine the scene. You’re not feeling too good, in fact you feel pretty sick, and you’ve been feeling this way for quite a few weeks now. But you’re one of those kind of people who just tends to ‘tough it out’ and work on through whatever it is.

This time however, you can’t seem to shake it off. In fact you’re getting worse. The coughing and the tiredness is getting you down. You know something isn’t right and so you make an appointment to see your Doctor, albeit begrudgingly.

The Doctor does what Doctors do. He pokes and prods you, asks you loads of questions then makes appointments for a whole series of tests that are surely going to inconvenience you. But you’ll go for the tests, after all, you just want to be better because this sickness thing just isn’t your scene.

A few weeks later you have another appointment to see your Doctor and get the test results. You go to the appointment alone. It’s the usual thing, you wait in the waiting room scanning through the slightly beaten up magazines on the coffee table.

Eventually it’s your turn to see the Doctor and now for some reason you’ve become nervous. Tests are essential to learn what the problem is right? These results will enable the Doctor to make you better, to get you back in the game. You’ll be fine, it’ll all be fine… won’t it?

You’re Doctor asks you the usual stuff. How have you been feeling, etc etc. You answer, it’s all routine stuff. But what about those test results, what’s the score Doctor?

“I’m afraid there is no easy way to say this.”

The opening line sends a shiver down your spine. Whatever comes next isn’t going to be good. In fact if a Doctor is saying that there is no easy way to say this, then the chances are this is actually going to be very bad.

“You have cancer.”

Right at that moment the world stops. The air in the room seems to turn to ice in an instant and your insides feel like they are about to bust. The Doctor keeps talking but…[Click here to continue reading this article at ‘Meanwhile’]