Hello - this is my first time posting. My husband is suffering from throat cancer and has been having palliative treatment. He mentioned to me that our five year-old granddaughter doesn't cuddle him any more and I can see that this makes him sad. They were always very close - he looked after her when she was a baby and almost until she went to school. She still loves to come round to our house but she is upset by the fact that Grandpa sounds different, and she has asked me if he will ever sound the same again and if he will have to go back to the hospice. Any advice on how to handle this distancing would be welcome . . . I feel so sad for them both.
Hi Marelise
Sorry to hear about your husband and especially the impact it is having on his relationship with your granddaughter. We all know how challenging a cancer diagnosis is even as an adult and a change like this may well just overwhelm someone so young.
We do have a guide Talking to children and teenagers that might be helpful and also many recommend The Secret C: Straight Talking About Cancer by Julia Stokes (perhaps see if your library has a copy?).
It can be worth talking to her school too, it is likely she might ask questions there and it can be really helpful if a consistent message is given.
<<hugs>>
Steve
