Finding comfort in Community: Catching up with our Emotional support forum

Hi everyone.  I must be an unusual sort.  When told of my prostate cancer I was with my wife.  I accepted the news very calmly, I thought that it was the case anyway and my wife looked at me and took the news as calmly as I did.  My prognosis is good, so I am told, and my injections are now six monthly.  I am a calm person anyway, so laid back I am horizontal as they say.  My wife and I do much walking locally sometimes in the early morning.  We are also live music lovers and attend a church not too far away to listen to an organ recital each Friday which is held to raise funds for the organ restoration.  Last night we attended the same church to hear a group of singers from a music academy in Cincinnati and even managed a short chat with one if the singers.  My advice to anyone who finds themselves handed  unfortunate news concerning their health is to find something to engage the mind on something other than the bad news.  Find something that you had given up and renew your interest or find something new.  Try getting involved with something where you will meet new people, take your mind off the bad thing and only think of it when needed.

Hi Ossie ,

Thank you for taking the time to share some of your story and some great advice with us. I also love music in all forms. My previous blog highlighted some of the chats about music in the online Community. You can click here to read it if you haven't had the chance already.

Finding something meaningful to do or get involved in is really good advice. 

Thanks again for sharing and I hope your treatment goes well. It sounds like you have a great attitude and I am sure you'll be remaining calm through it all:)

Best wishes,
Dylan

Thank you for your comment Dylan.  My wife and I met through music, me  being a member of a local operatic society and she joining one day to do something different.  My father was put to music by a much older brother on the death of their father. My uncle played in cinema orchestras until the talkies and then worked on transatlantic liners playing the violin.  As a child my uncle came to visit and musical evenings became the norm.  Violin duets on the piano and violin.  Monte’s Czardas and Massenet’s Intermezzo from Thais.  On my mothers side a female cousin sang with local bands in the 40s and 50s with one of her brothers singing in a 50s group called the Kentones, with the hit song Twenty Tiny Fingers Twenty Tiny Toes and appeared on the Royal Variety Show supporting the Crazy Gang.  I sang with a church choir from the age of eight until my early twenties.  We visited Germany, Holland and Italy to sing in concerts.  Music is one activity which permeates the whole mental being and will relax the mind and bring memories of very pleasant moments in life whatever the music may be.  You said that you love music in all forms.  Do you take part?

Thanks for sharing that Ossie. You sure do have music all over your family tree! Its sounds like you had an amazing time in that choir. What a great opportunity to travel and perform.  

My family isn't very musical but I grew up with my father blaring music in our lounge most weekends. He has a great love for music and plays a bit of guitar. I picked up the guitar at the age of 15 and have been playing ever since. I mostly play guitar and sing. Nothing too serious but I have played in a few bands, mainly playing covers. I have also been involved in church music now and then over the years. 

You are spot-on in the way you describe the power of music. Its such a powerful tool and an amazing gift.

Fourth of August 2023 today I got the results of the x-ray. The news are not very good one. I’ve lost half a stone in 6 months with no reason. I am 69 and my dad lost his fight with lung cancer at 69. I stopped smoking about 14 years ago. You kind of feel lost and all alone when you get these news. Here is part of the report 

“Normal cardiac and mediastinal contours.Peripheral nodular pacification at the right apex which is new since the previous chest x-ray ? Lung nodules ? Scarring”