Family & Friends of Cancer Patients Support Group
This community is dedicated to parents, siblings, grandparents, other relatives, friends and caretakers of cancer patients. It's difficult to find a safe place to talk about caring for a loved one with cancer, and so this group serves as an open forum to foster positivity and support for those going through this tough time.
Last November (2009) my mom was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, Stage 4. Wow...while I have told people that my mom has been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer I don't think I have said Stage 4 before. I try not to think about it. For the past year I have been attending a family support group in my area, but I am finding that recently I am having an extremely hard time dealing.
This week she has a CAT Scan scheduled for this morning, appointment with her Oncologist, blood work, and Chemo. While this time is always stressful, for the past few days my mom's side has been hurting her and she FEELS something is wrong. This worries me because usually when someone has that FEELING they are right. I don't know how much more I can handle.
For the moment I think that is all I can handle to write. Thank you for listening!!
This week she has a CAT Scan scheduled for this morning, appointment with her Oncologist, blood work, and Chemo. While this time is always stressful, for the past few days my mom's side has been hurting her and she FEELS something is wrong. This worries me because usually when someone has that FEELING they are right. I don't know how much more I can handle.
For the moment I think that is all I can handle to write. Thank you for listening!!
My mom was just diagnosed with OC a few days ago. I will pray for you and your mom - for strength. The only choice you have is to take each day as it comes and do your best with it. Smile if you can and cry when you need to. Hope and prayers and love sent your way.
Did your mum let her doctors know as soon as she had the pain? It is so so important to keep doctors informed of any symptom or side effect out of the ordinary. Please don't keep quiet. It is better to be told it is nothing and to know for sure, even if you feel you have "wasted the dr's time" (you haven't), than to keep quiet and then find it is actually something and you should have told them earlier. My mum kept a journal of everything she did, all appointments, who with and precisely what was said, what meds she took, how much and when, what side effects or symptoms she had. If she was too ill one of us took over keeping it. It does really help. So what I am saying is please let the doctors know if your mum feels anything could be wrong. It is her body and she knows it best.
I found the best thing to do is keep informed. Go to appointments and speak to your mum about her illness. The more you know the better it is.
Charities are really valuable too. They have helplines for people to let off steam as well as offering longer term one to one or group counselling, and access to many resources. I see you have been going to counselling, If this is not helping then find another group or counsellor. Counselling is a very personal thing and you sometimes need to try several people before finding a counsellor or group that helps.
Let others take the strain not just you. Don't feel you have to do everything for your mum. Take time out if you need to, even go away for a few days to clear your head.
Charities also offer things to make cancer sufferers and families/carers feel better. You can go to sessions on how to do makeup when ill, wig fittings, all kinds of feel good things which might seem unimportant but can make you feel a lot better. Some offer things like reflexology and massage too.
Good for you, going to the support group. You can get your feelings out there and meet others in a similair position. Try to take one day at a time. Spend time with your mom and tell her how much she means to you.
Thinking about you and your mom!