Cancer and fear

My cancer has returned after big op back in October! I'm receiving chemo and have had one session so far! Intellectually I feel I should be able to handle all this but emotionally I'm a complete wreck most of the time! I'm on anti depressants which doctors put me on before diagnosis as they thought for months it was anxiety! I feel annoyed with myself that I can't get past my fear of dying! Particularly at this time when wonderful people are dying every day with corona virus! I would appreciate any words of wisdom that may help me to cope a bit better! I feel quite selfish as well as mostly I can only think of myself! 

  • Dear Marymae, firstly if that's your name it's lovely.  Of course you are worrying about you, you know who you are, despite many deaths you have no personal knowledge of them, so it's only right that you be concerned about you and your family.  Cancer is a big deal, it's not like you have flu, so it seems perfectly normal that you are worried about your future.  My husband has cancer and we are three years on with treatment, still having immunotherapy as it's incurable.  So we cope by taking each day as a special day, if he's not well we have a quiet day, read the papers, have cake and coffee and watch the birds nesting.  If it's a good day we enjoy it, we rarely look to the future because no one can predict it!  Obviously it's hard at the moment due to lockdown but just appreciate the small things, they mean a lot.  If you are on anti depressants and feel they're not helping ask your GP to re evaluate the situation.  Good luck, Carol x 

  • Thanks Carole, thanks for quick reply! Hoping time will teach me a few lessons! Thing is I rarely feel normal emotionally or physically and not really sure what's what any more! Wishing you and your husband best wishes and like you said nobody can predict the future! 

  • Hi marymae, 

    Carol has the right idea one day at a time. 

    I'm a bit different i was diagnosed Feb 2016 been on palliative care since just living with my uninvited guest, living as normal life as possible. Which is a bit awkward because I'm official carer for my disabled wife, she needs 24 /7 care.

    We manage that's main thing. Day to day. 

    Best wishes. 

    Billy 

  • Thanks Billy, sounds like you're doing a splendid job ! Good wishes to you both x