Hi,
I have recently been diagnosed with kidney cancer and need to have a radical nephrectomy, my husband and I have yet.to tell our son (who have Cerebral Palsy and complex.learning djsabilities) - at.moment he believes my appointments have been to discuss about the possible.failure of a hernia repair which was done in October.2024.
My next appointment in 28 November when we.will be discussing treatment plans etc and we feel that he should attend this meeting with us but he needs.to know the actual reason I have been having scans etc.
We want him to be with us at the meeting so that hencan hear what the Drs say about the.surgery and recovery.period and length of.hospital.stay - even though he has learning disabilities he.does understand about operations and recovery periods because he has had surgery himself.
The one thing i am concerned about is mentioning the C word, and what it may mean for us as a.family.
Can anyone offer some.advise how.to approach this with him, I am.thinking of.contacting the.MacMillan nurse who was in the original.appointment and asking for her help and guidance, especially in the appointment next week.
Many thanks from a very anxious and stressed parent/carer with a Cancer diagnosis.
xx
Hi Michelle1965
A warn welcome to our community, I hope you find it useful and help to support you.
My wife's cancer is different to yours, she has Leiomyosarcoma, we have a son with autism but he was a lot younger when Janice was diagnosed. One of the challenges we had was that it seemed her cancer was not going to be curable - though fortunately treatment appears to have stopped the cancer progressing - over 10 years now.
There is quite a good guide on here - talking to children and teenagers but I also found the book The Secret C by Julie Stokes quite helpful.
You might like to join our Kidney cancer forum where there will be lots of people in a similar situation to you and can perhaps give some ideas on how things might go on for you. Your husband might like to join our Family and friends forum or Carers only forum where there are plenty of people with shared experience too.
<<hugs>>
Steve
