Hello karenst and a warm welcome to Cancer Chat, 

I was very moved to read your post and I wanted to reach out and let you know that we are thinking of you during this difficult time and that you are not alone. The festive period is often associated with joy, celebrations and spending quality time with loved ones but I can imagine this year will be very emotional to you as you feel this will be her last Christmas and it's hard for you and your family not to think about that. I think it's important to do what is right for you this Christmas and enjoy this special time with your mum as much as you can but without feeling forced to do anything you would not want to do, for example if you feel like you are not in the mood for socialising too much.

Make sure as well that you talk to your loved ones about how you are feeling and about how they can help you make this Christmas as special and enjoyable as possible in the company of your mum. But above all, be kind to yourself and do not feel guilty if you are not feeling as cheerful as you think you should be; this is bound to be such a difficult time for you and your family and I wanted you to know you are not alone and others on the forum will also be in a similar position at the moment. I hope that they will be along shortly to share their thoughts, stories and deep feelings with you. 

We're thinking of you and despite everything you are going through at the moment, I hope that you will have a lovely Christmas with your mum and your family. If you feel like coming back on the forum after Christmas  and telling us more about how it went, don't hesitate to come here and offload at any time. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator