Hello Ian., 

I am so sorry for your loss. 24 years married and 2 young children I can imagine it is really hard for you to cope and to adjust to this new normal you never wished for. It's  bound to still feel very raw and it is completely understandable that you will be going through, as you described so accurately, a whirlwind of emotions. Our page on Coping with grief explains really well the range of overwhelming feelings you can experience after losing a loved one. You are spot on when you say there is no right or wrong way to deal with this - you have to do what works best for you. The support of good friends and family is invaluable in times like this and you seem to be surrounded by lovely people and it's good you are the sort of person who likes to chat - talking things through with them can help you feel a little bit better. It's great that you are not alone and have a great support network around you. 

But there is a different kind of support you can get which is also precious and it's the advice and solace you will get from talking to others on Cancer Chat. Many of our forum members will have been in your position before or they are also currently also grieving the loss of a partner or loved one and they will know, often better than your closest friends, how you feel and what you are going through. You will find many kindred spirits here and I hope that you will be able to comfort one another during these difficult times. 

We're thinking of you Ian during this difficult time and I will now let others come forward and say hello and share their story with you. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator