Chapter 3: Accepting your diagnosis

   By now we have acknowledged that we do have cancer!  It is a very real experience in our life.  An excellent book I have read for coming to grips with our situation is "Yet Life is a Triumph" by Sharon Carr, preface by James T. Laney, president, Emory University, copyright, Emory University 1991. It is difficult to find a copy of this book but well worth the search.  Her poetry has, for me, a way of nailing the feelings accompanying cancer yet pointing always to a deeper meaning:

       " I will never forget the gulp

     That meant the end of my dreams

     And the start of Your meaning."
                                                    Sharon Carr

   As well as poetry, art and fantasy are ways of coming to terms with our experience.

   The image of dragons is a good one for me.  Fire-breathing dragons represent all the monstrous, devouring elements of cancer.  Now YOU are the brave knight going forth to slay this dragon.  Bravely you face this representation of the emotions you fear.  Project them all onto the dragon.  Be bold and brave.  You are going to slay this monster.  As they say in fairy tales: "It is not an adventure worth telling if there aren't any dragons."