Newcomer

Hi Mark T 

Welcome to our community, I hope you find it really useful.

Many people do find talking helpful and we have a number of resources on that here. 

My wife's cancer is different - she has Leiomysoarcoma. She had two lots of chemotherapy and the second one rendered her cancer stable and we have been like that for over 10 years now - living with cancer.

<<hugs>>

Steve

Hi Mark, my husband has kidney cancer, which has moved to his liver. We were diagnosed roughly three months ago and it has been tough. We decided that we would talk about emotions and feelings from the start. We have adult children still at home, and I can’t do the stiff upper lip thing. It is shocking and exhausting for everyone. To be fair, some days are easier, and we get out to The National Trust or take our border collie to the beach. My husband has a mobility scooter, (because he gets exhausted with the chemo treatment). I do power naps when I can, and try and zone out with gardening. Otherwise, I think I would have gone nuts by now. 

Kind regards to you and your family.

Hi Mark T, so sad you had to join this group. You are welcome here, but hope your wife will beat it soon! 

It is always hard with children. My husband got stage 4 bowel cancer and we have 12 and 6 year old kids. Both are fully aware of dads illness and I talk openly, though it took me about two years to start talling about it. I always ask if they have any questions, it helps.

Wish you strength and calmness in this storm. Talk to us here, talk to people, don't ever struggle in silence.

It really does. Talking to friends and family is great but it’s so helpful to chat to people who have experienced same/similar

Power naps are really good for helping to control emotions (I know a bit about sleep) if you’re not getting enough sleep at night. I often have them. 

It’s difficult though isn’t it as a partner of someone with cancer to give yourself the permission to look after yourself a little too 

You’re so right that it can feel like a very lonely storm until you realise there are other people going through similar experiences. 

Well done for talking to your kids. We’ve been drip feeding info to ours slowly