Why does hearing "it's malignant" make you want to scream, cry, or punch a wall—sometimes all in the same hour? Your body just learned about a threat that's been there for a while, and your nervous system jumped into fight or flight before your brain could catch up. That's not weakness. That's biology.

In this episode, Joelle walks you through what's happening inside your body in those first shocking moments after diagnosis. You'll understand why you're trying to make decisions with a brain that's been hit by lightning. Why that quiet question "Did I cause this?" won't stop whispering. Why people saying "stay positive" makes you want to throw something.

You'll also learn the one thing that calms your nervous system enough to think clearly, and how to let your feelings move through you instead of gaining strength inside you. This is for day one, before the plans, before the treatment—when you're just trying to catch your breath.

You're not crazy. You're in shock. And that's exactly where we start.