Hi
My grandma was taken to hospital with a suspected stroke but I was heart broken to hear its a brain tumour. Am 39 weeks pregnant and live 2 hours away so can't visit incase I go into labour. All my family are with her. Unfortunately my husband has his own struggles with mental health so just doesn't understand my struggle and is unable to help in any way. I feel so helpless and down. I grew up living with my grandma, we shared a room like sisters and are extremely close. I work in the medical field so having heard what the doctors said I know the prognosis isn't looking good. My family seem oblivious to the terminology the doctors are using. I can't bring myself to explain what all the jargon means and feel completely alone with it all. I know there isn't an answer to this but I needed to get things off my chest and didn't know where to turn.
Thanks for listening
Good Morning Armstrong
I am very sorry to hear that the Grandma that you are so close to has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. It must have come as an awful shock to you. Working in the medical field and understanding the terminology and prognosis must make it harder to cope with.
I understand that being pregnant makes visiting not possible at the moment and although you can't be there in person it is good that all your family are with her to provide support.
You are very welcome to get things off your chest here. Even though you say that you know that there isn't an answer sometimes just expressing how you are feeling maybe of some help.
I hope you do not mind ( you say you work in a medical field) but I will pop a couple of links here for you that may help and offer further support if you feel you need it.
Emotional, financial and physical help for people with cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support
This link has the support line number if you feel it would help just to speak to someone- they are lovely on there and will understand that sometimes you just need to get things off your chest.
Supporting someone | Macmillan Cancer Support
The online community is divided into different groups. Although you are very welcome to post on the Cancer Chat group there are a couple of other groups that you may find helpful.
Family and friends forum - Macmillan Online Community
Brain cancer forum - Macmillan Online Community
The other thing I thought of is that maybe your midwife can also offer some support and maybe it would be worth talking to her/him as you are going through something that is really upsetting whilst being so close to going into labour.
I hope that this may help, but please do not hesitate to ask if there is anything else that we can do
Take Care
Jane
