A good resource

"You've entered a vibrant playground for kind warriors who believe it's HIP to get healthy, SEXY to be spiritual, and NOBLE to protect hot mama Earth."

Caminante suggested, when I was first diagnosed, that I check out the community at My Crazy Sexy Life. I finally went there, last night. I found their page through a Facebook group where a friend had posted, and it felt like time.

It was. I’m ready. I didn’t, and still don’t, want a support group full of people who are as scared and rattled and new at this as I am. I’ve been in too deep of a funk, for way too long. I needed to be bounced out of it.

I don't know that they did, but they'll be helpful when I'm struggling. There’s an “electronic altar” on the sidebar, where you can post prayers for yourself or anyone. I did that, and I read some of the threads. They are so positive. I went looking for groups, just to see if I’d match anywhere. I found a Bay Area group, and a melanoma group, and one called “Crazy Sexy… what the hell are we doing?” It’s all about how to eat really healthy, I think, and have fun while you’re doing it.

The friend I’d followed from Facebook is already there. Other people answered my prayer posting, almost immediately, assuring me that I would find joy again. Another melanoma survivor friended me; I don’t know him, but it felt warm, not creepy. He said something like, “Hey, I’ve been there, you can do this.” What my real-life survivor friends have been telling me for weeks—but he and I have the same diagnosis.

It isn’t what I was afraid that a cancer survivors’ community would be. The group is incredibly positive, loving, and resourceful. There’s also a group for friends of survivors.

Most of my traffic are friends of mine, who aren’t in health crises themselves. If you are, and you’ve never been this scared in your whole entire life, check them out.