3 Key Things to do when you have Been Diagnosed with Terminal Cancer

There is no doubt that being diagnosed with terminal cancer is a devastating bit of news. While you've likely read a great deal about making peace and accomplishing the things that are still left on your bucket list, there are still many questions that need to be answered. 

 
If you are looking for practical advice on how to deal with terminal cancer, look no further - these are three of the things that absolutely must be done after your diagnosis. While they are not all pleasant, they are all necessary to prepare you and your family for your new circumstances.

Make a Decision

The first, and perhaps hardest, thing to do is to make a decision about the course that you want to take. It is very rare that a terminal diagnosis will result in the end of your life immediately. Instead, you will be faced with a choice of how you want to spend the remainder of your days. In some cases, you might want to fight the cancer aggressively in order to prolong your life. Depending on how extreme your cancer is, the treatment may be nearly as bad as the condition itself and moving on to pain management at a facility like Cornerstone Hospice and Palliative Care may be a better idea to receive top notch care.. No matter what the case, the disposition of your final days is up to you.

Meet with an Attorney

 
After deciding how you will deal with the cancer, you must meet with an estate attorney. If you have been following sound financial planning strategies already, you must merely meet with this individual to make whatever relevant changes need to be made to your estate. If not, you will need to draw up a will, decide on the disposition of your property, and make sure that you have the proper financial instruments in place for your family. It is very important that you do this early, just in case you cease to qualify as competent under the law.


Speak to Your Family and Friends

This step is perhaps the hardest. You should not keep your diagnosis from those close to you, but there is an important conversation that you must have with these individuals after you complete the other two steps. You should let everyone know exactly how you plan to spend your remaining time, and how they will be taken care of when you pass. This will give them a chance to start the grieving process and allow you to make amends while you still can.

Your cancer diagnosis is just the start of a new process. There are still plans to set in motion, and you still have part of your life to live. If you follow the three steps above, you can prepare those close to you for the future.