Hi.
Firstly, sorry to everyone reading this, I know you are all here because you are in pain and I wish you all the best possible outcomes.
Secondly, I am in need of support:
- My Mum has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It seems like treatment is available but today she refused an MRI due to clautrophobia, and I'm worried about her refusing other treaments as soon as things get difficult (she is currently reasonably "OK", but has a tendency to give up as soon as anything gets hard, "fighter" is not a word you could use about her)
- My Dad might have bladder cancer (biopsy results pending), and is currently housebound due to a (hopefully temporary) cathether
- I am fighting with my only sibling, mainly because his version of supporting me is to tell me that I make life hard for myself by worrying too much, or to tell me that whatever I'm feeling is "wrong" (there's way more to it than that, of course)
- I live in a different country to my family. I'd just quit my job to go travelling for six months (after a very stressful year work-wise and family-wise). The cancer news came 2 weeks into my trip, which I subsequently abandoned and went to stay with my parents, but, with their blessing I have now returned to my home country with the idea of doing a little of my trip before my mum's treatment starts, but I don't think I want to spend so much time alone right now.
Ideally I'm looking for some Zoom-type support groups for people whose family memebers have cancer, in which participants talk to each other, but any recommendations for any type of group would be welcome.
Thank you in advance for your help, and good luck to everyone
Hi IHopeYoureOK though sorry to hear about your mum and of course possibly your dad.
I know my wife hates MRI scans with a passion, she has had one or two but is happy with anything else.
We do have on here an Oesophageal cancer forum and our friends there will be happy to share issues in type.
Cannot say I know of any zoom type options but I know what helped me in the past was doing a "living with less stress" course, mind was arranged by Maggies. It helped me to learn to live more in the here and now (mindfulness) but also how to cope when life decides to throw a curveball at us with conscious breathing.
<<hugs>>
Steve
