Revisiting after a while. No one is ever fully prepared being told they have cancer, nor hearing that a loved one has been diagnosed.
I believe I was better prepared than many as one of my Boy Scout leaders tutored me in Classic Roman Stoicism using "The Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius. I still have the copy he gave me about 52 years ago.
Another one in this vein was written by Epictetus, Marcus' tutor. It is called "The Art of Living."
Life will hammer at you, but a buffer will to be Gain Knowledge, about yourself, the disease, the treatments, possible outcomes, and tools to help you cope, as Stoicism has helped me.
I've lost both parents to cancer, 3 maternal side to pancreatic (grandmother, uncle and a male 1st cousin), another uncle, both sisters are survivors as is a niece. Another uncle and aunt are survivors. Just yesterday we got the news that a college classmate of my wife's, who we both loved as dearly as a sister, passed away from cancer. Another very close college friend, who is like another brother, is also a survivor.
Cancer will beat you up. Do not let the bastard win and beat you down.