My husband was diagnosed with a grade 2 oligodendroglioma 18 months ago, he has underwent a partial removal and 30 rounds of radiotherapy and we are due to start chemo on 6th of august. It has been really tough with mood swings and heavy drinking as he hides from how he feels. We have 7 kids 4 of which live at home the youngest which is 6 and doesn’t know what is happening other than daddy fell, I have tried to get my husband to talk to someone but he refuses saying no one can fix him as diagnosis is terminal, this breaks my heart as he cannot see past this even though he has been told with treatment this could be many many years away. I don’t know what to do and feel that I have exhausted everything I can think of to pull him back I would appreciate any advice to help
Hi ,
So sorry to read your story, it sounds like you both have been on this cancer journey to some time now and I am sure you realise that heavy drinking, while perhaps understandable can also cause many problems all of it's own.
When my wife was diagnosed she never wanted a prognosis and I really struggled with that. I ended up doing a living with less stress course. It helped me live more in the here and now and the breathing exercises were great in coping with the unexpected but also with relaxation.
It can be interesting if we look at Your feelings when someone has cancer and note how we need to learn how to look after ourselves. If is so easy to invest everything in others and leave ourselves empty.
It might be helpful too to look at Talking to children and teenagers, we found if very helpful as well working with their school since our son would of course ask questions there and it was good if we were all giving the same answers.
<<hugs>>
Steve
