Dear Payne,

I am a four year (hurray!) survivor of stage III breast cancer. The waiting is nerve wracking and the only way to cope is to live through it. Things that helped me to cope with the waiting and worrying - after the mammogram, before the biopsy, waiting for the pathology report . . .

Eat well - comfort foods that are also nutritional (soups, stews, big, tasty salads . . . a bit of chocolate . . .)
If you're having trouble falling asleep, do not hesitate to ask your MD for a prescription sleep med - enough for 3 - 4 days. If you don't get a decent night's sleep, the stress of the worrying increases immensely.
Call your best friend. Pour out to her/him all your worries & fears. It will lighten your load.
Do some online research, if you are so inclined. Information is a great fear-fighter! Stick with reputable sites (breastcancer.org is a good place to start).
Ask a close friend to go with you to all appointments. The company of a trusted friend helps. A lot.
Make an effort to dress in your favorite, nicest-looking clothes. It helped me boost my mood.

Best of luck. You're in my thoughts.

TwentyToOne