hi everyone I’m new to getting help. my husband (51) got diagnosed with throat cancer - totally out the blue - he had a slight swallow problem and the dr said let’s rule out anything sinister and suddenly we are dealing with his diagnosis and he has had two operations to remove it and though he has been in unimaginable pain - I can’t imagine - he got through it, now psychologically getting through it. It all happened so quickly that I / we never had a chance to think about what was happening. I have a sister (47) who lives a 100 miles away but she started getting stomach pains during all this and the day my husband was given the clear for no more treatment- she was told she has bowel cancer. we were told before Christmas that she will have to undergo chemotherapy after a successful op. we had a hopeful Christmas but I saw that she had got significantly more prone to depressing thoughts. She started her chemo on Thursday and I was there for the intravenous drip. We got home and were given tablets - She also has a history of severe sickness. Our main thing was to make sure the anti sickness stayed in her system while taking the otehr chemo tablets at home but after one day - she started to feel much worse. Every reaction we called the emergency nurse and told the same thing- get the cycle of anti sickness in so we did. And she was able to take the second dosage. By 8.30pm after being sick for an hour. She said she’s stopping all treatment. She doesn’t want to go through it. I But I feel she wasn’t mentally prepared as she had got so worried about the side affects. I was desperate this morning when I wrote on here, that I should’ve done something different to help her carry on. I’ve been in clear communication with her partner and brother who are supporting her as well. I’m worried about her not getting the treatment she needs and that she won’t get better.
Hi Care74
Sorry to hear about all you have been going through. I can only imagine how difficult is must be when you feel your loved one is not doing the best for themselves but then the question often is what is the best and the only person that can really ask that is generally the person with the cancer.
Lack of sleep - I can really relate and it really hurts. I was having a problem at one point and asked my GP for something that might help me sleep. He prescribed eco-therapy - you what I said - and the response go for a walk. Especially if I could do it among some trees and take some time to look at listen. I was a bit sceptical at first but I actually found it did really help.
One thing we all know on here - being a carer can be really hard, but also very rewarding.
<<hugs>>
Steve
