Hi my 71 Yr old husband was diagnosed just over two years ago. He has had hormone treatment, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. At diagnosis there was evidence that metastases had appeared and more recent scans show mets in parts of the spine, four ribs and the clavicle. The oncologist says chemo will continue as maintenance and there will be no cure. The added complication is that we live in a Spanish speaking country and although the doctors do communicate in English I always feel there's something lacking. There are no English speaking support groups here and we seem to be just muddling our way through. My husband is angry, exhausted and can be very difficult. It's hardly surprising. I am just exhausted and sleepless. I feel as though I am detaching from him and I don't understand it. I would do anything to make him well. Sorry for the ramble and thank you for
Hi Eilean13
Sorry to hear about your husband and of course the impact his cancer has on you both. I think the concept of something lacking may well be something we al feel though I can certainly understand how a language barrier makes things just that little bit more complex. In the UK we would often say talk to your specialist nurse because generally they have more time than the doctors.
If we look at your feelings when someone has cancer I know I recognize a lot of what I went through and sometimes just recognizing the emotions can help give me some power over them. Still from time to time get overloaded with sympathy from others or even worse pity and that can be really unhelpful. My wife has Leiomyosarcoma and again there is no cure but her cancer has been stable for about 8 years now. We are living with cancer rather than dying from. Like you I could wish for a cure but at least currently that is not going to happen.
Have you talked to your doctor about you? Sleeplessness makes us ill realy quickly and the last thing either of you need if for you to get ill too.
You might also like to introduce yourself on the Living with cancer outside the UK forum there may be stories or people in there who might have information on groups that might be more difficult to find.
<<hugs>>
Steve
