Hi there. My dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma a couple of months ago. It was a complete shock for him as well as us. He was a completely independent 79 yr old who actually took care of others. A couple of months ago he said he felt a bit short of breath but thought he might have a cold. I too him to the doctor and he was sent for a chest xray which showed he had fluid in his lung. We still didn't think cancer as it was unbelievable that, that could be an option but here we are. He has a 2 nodes in the lining of his lung. He has been offered immunotherapy to try and slow it down which he started yesterday. He's so tired and depressed since his diagnosis. Its so hard to watch my strong, funny, caring dad become someone I don't recognise. We're just hoping the treatment hels.
Hi Lost1 and welcome to the Online Community but so sorry to hear about your dad's diagnosis. A cancer diagnosis in the family can be such a challenging and stressful time but I do hope you will find the Community a safe place to get support and to ask your questions.
The Community is divided into support groups (discussion rooms) so can I recommend you join and post in our supportive Mesothelioma support group. This is a safe place to talk to others who may have a similar diagnosis and treatment experience, to ask questions and get support from family members who are navigating the same journey.
If you'd like to connect in with a group click on the Green (Bold) link I have created above. Once the group page opens click on the black banner that says [click to join] at the bottom, or the [Join] button under "Group tools."
You can then introduce yourself by putting up a ‘new post’ by clicking in the box near the top right with + New or + (Depending on the device you are using) and you are ready to go. You could copy and paste the text from this post into your new post.
When it comes to the practical and emotional challenges of supporting family you may also benefit from joining our general Carers only support group where you will connect with others navigating the same support challenges.
The Macmillan Support Line is open from 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00 where you can talk with someone about specific cancer and practical information, get emotional support, benefits/financial guidance or just connect with a listening ear. We also have our Ask an Expert section but do allow a few working days for a reply.
Talking to people face to face can be very helpful so do check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area, do also check for a local Maggie's Centre as these folks are amazing and aim to give support to all the family.
Please do get back to me if you need further help.
