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Emotional support


marierose

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Good evening!  My name is Marie and I am reaching out for emotional support.  I am diagnosed 6 months ago with stage IV lung met to brain.  I live in Florida with my husband and beautiful 16 year old daughter.  I feel like my whole life was just dragged out from underneath me.  How do others handle this huge emotional upheavel?  I do pray a lot and it comforts me.  I am blessed to have people in my life willing to listen but I still feel very isolated.  Having trouble reaching out to them.

 

Thank you for listening,

Marie

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Hi Marie,

It’s nice to meet you. I was diagnosed with Stage IV ALK Positive Lung Cancer in September.  So five months for me.  I’m really glad you found us.  This is a group with tremendous strength & inspiration.  No one here will ever judge you as we’re now part of a special club that no one ever wanted to join.  

The emotional upheaval you are experiencing is totally normal. It’s really hard for non cancer friends to understand this as they often want to be supportive but really don’t know what to say. 

For me I rely on my faith in God & my treatment team of genius doctors.   I’ve taken advantage of a number of programs offered by the cancer clinic to help with the anxiety which have been helpful.  I’ve said some easy goodbyes to toxic people & made new friends fighting for their lives.  

This is hard stuff we’re dealing with.  The support of our group here spans across the country & around the world.  We’re here for you! Let us know how we can help   

Michelle

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Marie,

Welcome here.

Even though it was 15 years ago, I well remember how I felt receiving my lung cancer diagnosis.  Afraid, uncertain, hopeless and alone are just some that came to mind on recalling my D-day.  I can tell you how not to handle the emotional upheaval -- bottle it up!  That is what I did and after 3 failed surgeries and 3 recurrences, I became severely depressed.  It was extremely hard for me to tell folks of my fear. I'm a retired soldier and we eschew discussing fear.  So I slugged through my last 6 infusions of Taxol and Carboplatin while severely depressed and I was nearly undone.

In that time, there was no place like this forum with folks who know exactly what I was feeling and experiencing. So now you have a tool to mitigate emotional upheaval and that tool is: we understand.  We'll never tell you what to do, but rather focus on what we did or are doing or works for us.

You ought to be in treatment at this juncture.  If you feel comfortable, tell us about the type of lung cancer you have and the treatments you are receiving.  That will allow us to offer some tips or tricks that may be helpful.  I also pray and will include you in my prayers.  My faith is a gift that keeps on giving.  Here are some of my thoughts on faith and hope.

Stay the course.

Tom

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Hi, Marie. I'm so glad you found us - this community is wonderful. The emotional rollercoaster is tough. I was diagnosed in February 2016 and was (mostly) okay until the mets to my thyroid was discovered in July 2016. Then I just lost it. I finally asked Super Doc for help and I've been on an anti-depressant ever since. I realize that's not the answer for everyone but for me, it kept me moving forward.  

Just know that this diagnosis is not the death sentence it once was. There are so many new treatments and options that weren't available just a few years ago. That's what keeps me going.  I approach it as a chronic disease.

We're all here for you.

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Hi Marie,

I just want to add my welcome. Michelle, Tom and Susan have said what I would say, but much better than I would have said it, and also probably more believably, since they are surviving (and thriving) with lung cancers much more advanced than mine was. Hang in there and keep in touch.

 Bridget O

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