Hello, (first post)
My dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma 2 months ago and has been having chemo for the past few weeks, twice a week. He's 65 and a bit on the spectrum so not emotionally engaged with me or my mum, who is caring for him, this has strained the diagnosis so much for us all as communication isn't our best suit. I've encouraged him to go to counselling after he said the chemo was 'taking it's toll', I've expressed to him he can talk to me if he needs to talk to someone too. I guess I'm worried about his mental health a lot and knowing I am moving home to help my mum care for him is also scary as I will have to see him in a very bad way due to chemo.
He's lost interest in the world and I am not sure how to help or engage with him at times as it feel so surreal, like an advert for cancer research or something. Being an only child is really tough at the minute as well as it's coming up to Christmas, mum wants it to just be 'not sad' which feels so absurd to me. I sometimes feel that my parents are not emotionally in tune or good at expressing these things so it feels like an uphill battle with reality and I just want to be there for him and in this new reality.
I guess I wanted to get this all off my chest as a 24 year old, who is not living at home and working through the lock down, I've found the diagnosis in the context of Covid-19 very scary and I want to know if there is any support for families to emotionally engage with the diagnosis and a loved one having cancer in a safe supported environment, maybe also someone for him to talk to when he feels low?
Any support or similar stories I would be very grateful,
Kat
