Hi guys,
I'm 27 F, my mum is 51 and she's just found out she has cancer.
She had a cyst "down there" inside which they said wasn't cancerous but needed to be removed. During the operation, they found that it was indeed cancerous. The hospital who performed the operation aren't a specialised cancer hospital so they've removed as much as they could at the time and informed my mum what they'd found as soon as she woke up.
She's had MRI and Ct scans done, I don't know the proper names for what cancer she has but they've said it's rare and they believe it's in her lungs and lymph node as well. They've told her she will need a PET scan but she will definitely need to start chemo straight away. They don't know if chemo will cure, or just prolong life, until the PET scan.
Can anyone help me identify what rare cancer this might be? They don't know if the cyst is secondary or not either. I know I shouldn't look things up online but all the information surround secondary cancers is not positive at all.
Im terrified ill lose my mum before she gets to see me marry or have my own kids, I can't imagine a life without her and didn't think I would have to so soon. I'm preparing myself for the inevitable news despite everyone telling me to stay positive until the PET scan but I just know it's going to be the worst news.
How can I stay positive, and be supportive for her?
Hi Mol_1313 and welcome to the Online Community but so sorry to hear about your mum’s diagnosis.
A cancer diagnosis like this 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.
Unfortunately there is no way that anyone on this community can identify the type of cancer your mum has but once you have this information you can then join the support group (discussion rooms) for her specific cancer type.
You can do this by looking through THIS LIST where you will find all our many dedicated cancer support groups listed.
These are safe places 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.
When you are ready to connect in with a group click on the (Bold) link I have created above then once you find the group for your mum’s cancer 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 your mum’s you may want to join our general Carers only support groups 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 ((hugs))
