Hi all,
I'm new to this group/forum and firstly want to say hi and hope that everyone is ok?
After alot of umming and erring with regards to asking for support and advice, if I have found myself here!
My father was diagnosed with gastro oesophageal junction (GOJ) cancer 2 years ago and has survived longer was assumed upon diagnosis. We are now nearing the end stages and focusing on quality of life for what time he has remaining. He is now in a local hospice receiving respite care, which I am extremely grateful for, but as I'm sure many people feel - I feel beyond guilty for leaving him there and returning to work. Due to living and working in the West Midlands, and my father living in Hertfordshire, I have spent alot of my time travelling up and down trying to provide the best support to him that I can while trying to maintenance a decent work/life balance.
I have now reached a stage where I feel completely overwhelmed and am struggling to give any of myself to anything but providing support for my father.
Does anyone have any advice on Support groups in Coventry/Locally or any advice in general?
Thank you all in advance!
Hi Manatee93
Wow you have been coping with a huge load for a long time and so glad now you have reached out. I know the first time I did that I was really overloaded and my wife was in hospital - possibly the thing that gave me a little space to think about me.
My wife never wanted a prognosis and I really struggled with that but in many years on here I have come to see them as less useful than some might think we often hear something like x% or people survive 5 years or more but what nobody really knows is how that coin will land.
We have a tool on here in your area that given a postcode will list support groups near you. You are of course welcome to post on here whenever as someone is always listening and you can also ring our helpline as they are massively helpful too.
<<hugs>>
Steve
