=( i dunno....

4 minute read time.

i wasnt going to write this blog. because its very personal to me, but i need to get it out

me and john..

we got together in april, 2007, in september 2007 we got engaged. i was 17, he was 18.

then in october 2009 i got diagnosed with cancer, i was 19 and he was 20... everyone says its young to get cancer at that age, but as we all know, cancer doesnt pick on a certain age......

so, getting diagnosed, john said he would always be here for me, and we would fight it out together... we did.. but wow it was hard...

surviving cancer is one thing, but surviving cancer and a relationship is another thing all together.. 

everyone knows cancer is an emotional time, from the day of getting diagnosed, you are scared, but an over whelming urge to stay positive, to not fall apart, to not show loved ones how much this is hurting me. so i keep smiling,i keep fighting this disease. hiding the tears, and the pain i was in, to go up and down the stairs id cry all the way up. the only time i could cry was when i was in the shower, or when i was going to sleep..

i didnt wanna show pain, or anything else. because i didnt want to hurt the ones i loved and cared about, as i could see how gutted they were for me...  

the days id sit and think, will this cancer kill me? what do i do? how do i go on with a normal relationship, i went through a temporary menopause at just 19/20 to protect my ovaries, for a hope of a future, as i had no time to save eggs... i lost all my hair, my confidence, how was i ever going to be good enough for john? 

so what did i do... i pushed him away, so far away  that we are now just holding on by the tip of our fingers, what i want more than anything is to be close again, to be in his arms, and feel loved, warm and secure...to be held tight and for him to tell me he loves me...

and more than anything i want to be told cancer is NEVER going to come back in my life again...doctors have said theres a very small chance of it ever happening, but you cant help but worry with every pain you get,anything small and it sends me into a panic.. 

but, back to me and john... all through treatment, we would have one good week one bad week, because on the bad week, i wouldnt want to do anything, id feel that sick, and achey and horrid, i just wanted bed... on the good week, id have little energy, so wed go out for a meal, or a small walk around the shops... slowly we stopped showing affection for one another, there was no sparkle in the eyes, no magic in the bedroom, nothing...not easy when your having hot flushes, and feeling like your body is 40 years older than what its supposed to be...

so, getting into remission, wow, a great time, so many happy faces, a big sigh of relief, but still, me and john are struggling, we sit in silence most nights, il be on the laptop, john on his playstation... or if we do sit together, watchin a film, it still dont feel right.

i want the old nights back, the cuddley nights, i want the playfulness that we used to have back, the times where we would chase each other round the house, laughing, smiling... but now, id be lucky if i could run up and down the stairs without having to sit down and be out of breath..i want the look off him where i can see it in his eyes and smile saying just how much he loves me!!  weekends are good, we will go out, or go away and do things together, we will smile, and laugh and forget about how things are at home, but then we get home, and its the same miserable life again. 

how do i make things right? how can i get back what we used to be? i love john to bits, and i wished that i never had cancer, i wished that it never made us how we are now.. i wished that id not pushed him away.

am i the only one going through this? 

id be gutted if me and john split after all we have been through... but then i dont wanna have it end up us hating each other 2... cuz that would be unfair....

arghhhhh what do i do?????? i know its only me that can decide, i no its only me and john that can sort it, but i just dont know how!!! ive tried talking to him loads, but we just bottle up, more me than anything =(

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Em - think Jo Mac has the right answer - show John your blog. If it moves him as much as it moved the rest of us on here then that will be a great start and give you both something to build on.

    He has been there for you all the way through and now you can see some light at the end of the tunnel, start enjoying life again together.

    All relationships can get a bit 'Stale' , it does take an effort to keep the flame alive - you have proved how much you can achieve with your strength and spirit - Go for it Mate

    Hugs

    John xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Emz

    I agree with JoMac, show him your blog, if you don't want him to know you blogged about it write some of it down for him so he will know how you've been feeling and know how much you want things to be how they used to be. I know from my hubby that men are not always good at putting into words how they are feeling but it doesn't mean they don't care or want the same things that we do.

    I'm sure your relationship with John is strong enough to survive this, it just needs time and little TLC.

    Love and Hugs to you both

    Maxine

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Emma, I am crying my eyes out because I was in the same situation not that long ago too - I felt that Graham and I were close to going our own ways but I MADE him listen to how I was feeling (that the cancer had taken the life out of me) and we talk lots now not necessarily about the future but we try to have a laugh (that was what made me fall in love with him in the first place - he made me laugh again after a very unhappy marriage to another).  We do simple things like play Scrabble or cards, we play the Wii, we walk.  There are lots of simple things to do to spend time together in the evenings - like lying snuggled up reading books.....nice. I would also add that the Playstation and PC don't help - they cut you off totally from each other.  Cut it down to a couple of nights a week perhaps?  Listen to Auntie Sheila setting you rules!!! He He!  

    Have you thought too that perhaps John has been hiding his true feelings and the depth of them ?  He must have been petrified that he was going to lose you to Cancer...it has affected him too Emma.  Maybe he is afraid still that he will lose you in the future as I don't think any partner would think otherwise.  I also think Emma that no-one on this site can say 'I will never get the Cancer again' - we all pray we don't and that we have beaten it forever.

    But it took you when you were very young and that has obviously affected you much more - I wish I could give you a massive hug sweetheart!  Please carry on with what you are doing (re our support group; we are all with you on there).

    So please take the time to talk and you both will come thru this better people. Loving, understanding, comforting, cuddling, dating.......EVERY relationship has to be worked at all the time.

    Love Sheila:)X

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    oh emz, reading your blog is so sad. I do not know what I can say to you really as it seems all the words of wisdom have been spoken.  Especially about showing John what you have blogged.  You never know he may be too scared to get so close just now incase he is rejected again.  Leave him the note to read and lets hope and pray it does the trick.

    Sending love and huggs to you emz.

    Jan xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    O'h emma love i;m so sorry for you and John i also think it mihgt be good if you showed John your blog it  is a way of telling him just how you feel and it may start that spark to light up again , hope you manage to sort this emma hugs Alan xxxx