Hi all,
My mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer last October. She's since had radiotherapy and chemo, and was on a watch and wait trial to try and avoid the op for as long as she can. When she went for a check up recently the doctor told her he could feel something but he couldn't pick anything up on the sigmoidoscopy so we are waiting on the MRI results. It's been three weeks now and there's been no contact from the hospital, but from what my mum is saying it seems like a recurrence is likely. We knew it could happen as she didn't have the op but it's a bit gutting that it's only three months after she got the all clear. Last time I struggled being in limbo while waiting for the results and this time it feels even tougher, I've been having a hard week and she doesn't want to chase the hospital and I've realised I just can't cope if there is a recurrence. She's all I have, my dad died years ago and I don't feel like I can deal with this on my own. She's been selective about who she's told about the cancer, other family members are dealing with their own lives and my friends aren't really around. I was somehow strong over the past year but all the energy has now left me and I'm struggling (I'm a natural born worrier which doesn't help!) I just wondered how you all have managed to cope and be there for your loved ones without them worrying about you? Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Kirsty88, so sorry to read your message it can be very hard when our loved ones put all their faith in a select few. It can be really helpful then to have a somewhere to talk to "strangers" about our feelings.
My wife was always much more open about her cancer but it was not diagnosed until a very long way after she first got ill but my stumbling block was around her not wanting a prognosis. I struggled for some time until I spoke to Maggies. Later I did a living with less stress course and learnt a range of techniques to keep stress under control.
<<hugs>>
Steve
