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| Dedication: Your Greatest Gift | |
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| Foreword | |
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| Preface | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Our Story | |
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| In the Beginning | |
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| I Had a Hero | |
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| Storms | |
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| Another Beginning | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Dealing with the Diagnosis | |
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| My Experience | |
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| My Reaction | |
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| Your Loved One's Reaction | |
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| Asking Questions | |
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| Searching the Internet | |
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| Your Physician or Cancer Treatment Facility | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Negotiating the Medical World | |
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| Recruiting the Medical Team | |
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| Pray First for Wisdom and Guidance | |
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| Where Do I Start? | |
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| Referral to a Specialist | |
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| National Cancer Centers | |
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| It's Not Just About the Doctor-Finding the Right Medical Team | |
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| Who is on Your Team? | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Tests, Procedures, and Definitions | |
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| What Happens Next? | |
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| Before: A Routine Physical | |
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| Symptoms Signal an Alarm-See your Regular Doctor First | |
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| Referred: Seeing the Specialist | |
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| Seeing the Oncologist | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Medical Records and Insurance | |
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| Records | |
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| Dealing with Insurance and Medical Bills | |
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| Insurance | |
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| What to Do if You Have No Insurance or if You Have Unpaid Balances | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What can a Friend Do to Help? | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Our Dance of Treatment | |
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| Is it a Waltz or a Jitterbug? | |
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| Diagnosed in October: Surgery Number One | |
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| Complications: Surgeries Three and Four | |
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| A Small Reprieve | |
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| In the Roller Coaster at the Top of the Hill | |
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| Dexamethasone Side Effects | |
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| Mobility Issues | |
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| Helping Hands | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Changing Roles | |
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| Emotional Responses to Role Changes | |
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| But I've Never Done That Before | |
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| Organizing Your Finances | |
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| Power of Attorney, Living Wills, Wills, and Wishes | |
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| Social Security and Disability | |
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| Reviewing your Financial Plan | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Death Comes Softly | |
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| Accepting the Inevitable-Negotiating Your Loved One's Changing Focus | |
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| Moving from Active Treatment to Hospice | |
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| Help from Hospice | |
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| The Payment Changes with Hospice Care | |
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| What to Expect in the Last Days of a Terminal Illness | |
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| Death | |
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| Funeral Arrangements | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| And Then There Was One | |
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| Alone | |
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| Quiet | |
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| Thank You Notes and Dishes | |
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| Your Health | |
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| Make a Decision to Trust God with Your Future | |
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| A New Relationship | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Normal Grief | |
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| Denial or Shock | |
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| Anger | |
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| Bargaining | |
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| Depression | |
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| Acceptance | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Sad and Stuck | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Children and Grandchildren | |
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| Infant to Age Two | |
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| Preschool (Age Two to Four) | |
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| Early Childhood (Age Four to Seven) | |
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| Eight to Ten | |
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| Pre-Adolescent (Age Ten to Twelve) | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Practical Problems | |
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| New Tasks, Responsibilities, and Decisions | |
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| Finances | |
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| Legal Issues | |
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| Housing Issues | |
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| Relationships | |
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| Developing a New Support System | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Old Memories and New Traditions | |
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| Remembering | |
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| What Do I Keep and What Goes Out the Door? | |
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| Photographs | |
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| Sharing His Things | |
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| Feelings | |
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| Telling Stories-Children Love to Listen | |
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| Writing your Story | |
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| Write His | |
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| Tell God | |
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| Survival Tips | |
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| What a Friend Can Do to Help? | |
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| Points to Ponder | |
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| Conclusion Moving Forward | |
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| Purpose Where None Seems to Exist | |
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| Afterword What the Bible Says | |
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| Appendix Questions to Ask Your Doctor | |
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| About the Author | |