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I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive granular cell cancer in May 2017. Because the disease is so unusual, I sought treatment at MD Anderson ¡ª a two-hour flight from my home in Indiana and a 15-hour drive by car.

Throughout June and early July 2017, my husband and I made several trips back and forth ¡ª down to Texas for evaluation, a return home, back to Texas for surgery, home to Indiana to heal, then back again to Texas for six weeks of proton therapy.

Here are six things I learned along the way:

• Line up your housing early: Tour apartments and other housing options while you¡¯re in Houston for your initial evaluation. Then you¡¯ll be ahead of the game and prepared to choose one when the time comes for treatment. MD Anderson¡¯s Patient Travel Services team can help you secure reduced-cost housing, transportation and airfare. Your assigned MD Anderson social work counselor can also provide a list of companies that offer long-term housing in a variety of price ranges. Many of them have shuttles that will take you MD Anderson¡¯s Texas Medical Center Campus, though not usually after 6 p.m.
• Get a place with room for a guest: Consider leasing an apartment that has room for a guest. I did, and it not only saved on hotel bills for visitors, but allowed supportive family members to come and go throughout my treatment.
• Take advantage of the services offered: If you are receiving treatment at the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, join one of the support groups for weekly lunch gatherings and cheerleading. And be sure to attend the ¡°Behind the Beam¡± tour, which provides a fascinating look at the machines and science that bring proton beam radiation to life.
• Find the peaceful places on MD Anderson's campus: There are lots of quiet areas for waiting out the sometimes-long periods between appointments. One of my favorites was the beautiful rooftop patio and its Adirondack chairs outside the Waterfall Caf¨¦ in the Mays Clinic.
• Explore Houston: It¡¯s a fantastic, diverse and fun city with an abundance of art, great food and beautiful parks.
• Reach out: Don¡¯t be afraid to talk to other patients and their family members. I met many families fighting cancer who were much further away from home than I was. I met folks from Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, South America, New Mexico, Louisiana, Kentucky, and points in between. I learned a lot from these fellow journeyers, developed some good friendships, and was able to get out of myself, share some love and feel less alone.

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