Hello DdWest11

Welcome to the forum although I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis and that you're also dealing with other ongoing health conditions I do think that your sister sounds incredibly supportive and I love love love that she sent you the flat packs! 

It's understandable that you're feeling a bit fed up with things. Living with long-term health conditions inevitably can take its toll on your resilience and naturally, you will have times when you feel overwhelmed or low. 

It's good to know that you have support from family. It can sometimes help to talk to someone outside of our immediate support system and I wonder if this is something that may help you. It may be that visiting your local Maggie's and chatting with one of their volunteers or support staff about all that you've been through might help. Alternatively, there may be other groups locally to you that offer similar support services. You can check with your GP surgery to find out what may be available. 

We do have a team of nurses here at Cancer Research UK that you can call to talk with as well. They're available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0808 800 4040 and I'm sure they would be happy to offer any advice and support they can to help. 

Be kind to yourself Ddwest11. Take each day as it comes and hopefully, with some additional support, and some therapeutic time with those cardboard boxes, things will begin to feel better again. 

Keep in touch and let us know how you're getting on. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Hello DdWest11, and welcome. as a fellow member of the lifetime of health issues club, it's nice to meet you, I get called strong, stoic just the same and how do you manage it, Or the best one , you look well you must be feeling better, i just smile and bite my lip. Like Jenn i love what your sister did for you, also like Jenn as one of my local Maggies centres biggest fans i would recommend them to everyone. I think i am an emotionally strong person with a good sense of humour i have a wonderful partner, good friends and Poppy my jack russell and it helps, But i have my downside too for which i get counselling which i would also recommend. Maybe as well as pampering your budgie you should pamper yourself,. I am definitely going to get some cardboard coxes though, please take care, Eddie

Hi, what a cool sister you have, and an amazing idea!  Am definitely going to find something to kick around and break.

I too am stoic in the face of many issues, and started off being strong and just getting on with things, but now am getting pretty fed up.  It's horrible to feel so impotent without being able to do anything to fix it, and just having to wait and see what happens.

I'm in central London too.  It would be good to found out if there are meet-ups or something around?