I am very prone to suffer with depression and anxiety and my hubby has just been diagnosed with Mesothelioma and is waiting results from last weeks PET scan and CT guided biopsy, so I am really scared. This diagnosis has come out of the blue after he complained of a pain in his chest for a couple of weeks. He is also just come to the end of treatment for Prostate cancer which seems to be working. All this and the COVID restrictions is making life unbearable and I feel so alone and am really dreading the results which will probably be next week. Up until now we have both been very fit, healthy and active and lots to look forward to, but now I am feeling as though everything has come to an end and there is nothing to look forward to so I am finding it very hard to be strong and support him.
Hi Kernowgirl1 and welcome to our special safe space for carers. I see you have already met my friend Latchbrook.
The feeling of loneliness can be quite common after any cancer diagnosis, it can feel as it the whole world is going on and our life has gone on hold. On here we understand because we have all been there and covid makes everything just that bit more difficult for everyone.
There are a number of tips in Looking after someone with cancer especially around looking after ourselves, nobody can be strong all the time and I certainly had to find a way to look after myself and did a living with less stress course that really helped. A key element was to learn to appreciate what I have, taking every thing a day at a time. Next were some relaxation exercises, especially control of breathing.
Waiting for results of any scan is very difficult - we often refer to this as scanexity, but worrying will not change the result so learning to cope is really the only choice.
Do post on here whenever - because together we help support each other.
<<hugs>>
Steve
