I had this look again today from someone i had not seen for a while, did the usual how are you and the family etc.I then told her that my hubby had been diagnosed with AML acute myeloid leukeamia in july and was undergoing treatment, it was then i saw the look of horror on her face,i've had this look a few times now and i am curious to know if it's due to genuine shock,surprise or they think it's a definate death sentance, which we know it's not ,maybe 30 years ago,and do other people with other types of cancer ever experience this? would be grateful for your comments as i'm beginning to think i'ts because it's leukeamia and not another cancer,and is still relatively rare in comparrison to other cancers and peoples knowledge of it is still quite limited, unless you or a family member have it when you get to know about the disease very well!!
FormerMember
hi a am a very happy lady and know on here as pink and fluffy to happy .to be sick .. ........ o you cut your hair jilly nice some one say to me mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm now do i tell them having chemo and most off it fell out or not ........... i do tell them most off the time today i meet a lady that not seen me for a year and say wow your looking great like the rock chick hair cut i did not tell her as she cotten wool me and thats so me . i been told i to happy to be sick . i think what works the best for me is i say well every one will die it shuts them up as i dont wont pity i got cancer i not sick just a blip in my life thats it and i i got N H L that non hodgingkins lynphmer and if tell then that you have to say this that this that and you know what i dont wont to i like to be happy i dont wont to be cotton wooled . hope this helps jilly ann
i don't think its just leukemia that's gets this reaction , i think cancer as a rule can cause this. i don't take offence but i do find peoples reactions fascinating. I've had family members who have stopped talking to me as much and some who show over concern. i have people look at me as if i where contagious. i spoke to a friend last week who i hadn't seen for ages and didn't know i had cancer , we spoke for ages ( on email) and arranged to meet up with her young children and mine. that was before i told her i had cancer had just had chemo and was wearing a hat , just so she could warn her kids, her reaction was oh my god i don't know what to say. and that was it . we were supposed to meet up this week but she hasn't spoken to me since . some of my friends don't understand the seriousness of my cancer and say ' oh you'll be fine ' and ' you'll feel better soon' and i feel like giving them a speech on just how bad this is . and on the other end of the scale i have a sweet old Irish relative who brought me holy water and has probably got the whole of Ireland praying for me as if i am deaths door . i don't know how i would cope if i was in their shoes so i try and understand each and every one of their reactions. and i think your right its probably peoples lack of knowledge that makes them react the way they do
Apart from the look of shock and horror, there is the moment of stunned silence and then the person to whom you are speaking will say "I am SO sorry" in a voice which has suddenly dropped an octave!
I dont really think it matters which type of cancer you have, some people still believe that having any type of cancer is a death sentence. To be honest when I was going through it in the early days, sometimes I would feel a little embarassed about telling people, not for myself but for those I was telling as most people honestly dont know how to react to the news.
I wish you all the best for the future, keep smiling!
Hi there, I read this and you all seem like such nice,fun people ! My husband may have skin cancer and am waiting for results.We are both emotional right now -we have a one year old...Is it silly im on here trying to look for comfort and support already in case he is clear of skin cancer?..I have a real fear of canacer as I lost relatives of cancer when I was young.Nothign was explained abotu it and now..well, i have to wait for results for my husband. sorry , I just couldnt bear to have to go through this again..
