Hi.... I'm new to this forum, I'm reaching out to see if others have had any problems with their children and anxiety years after parental cancer.
long story short... I had breast cancer 6 years ago, I was 38, my children were 9 and 4 at the time. I was divorced and living just with my kids. (They do see their father) I underwent 6 rounds of chemo, radical mastectomy, 3 weeks radiotherapy, bilateral salpingo oophorectomy (felopian tubes and ovaries removed). It was a year of hell, as you will all be aware who are on this forum. My eldest who was 9-10 over that year seemed to grow up so quickly, he took on almost a father roll with his little brother. (Forgot to mention that their grandad had died almost exactly a year before my diagnosis). My eldest son is now 15 and is suffering with anxiety, which is really bad at the moment. He's anxious about everything and anything and is in a real state. He has had little anxiety episodes on and off over the years, but I have always been able to reassure him. The last 8 weeks he's been so anxious, he doesn't know why, he's worrying about everything, death, dying, loss, he's worrying about his other grandad getting older, he's worried about his little brother starting senior school. He says he doesn't know who he is anymore, says he's head full and he can't concentrate.
Could this be PTSD? Has anyone else experienced this with their children?
It's breaking my heart seeing him like this. I've always been open and honest, as much as I think you should be with children about cancer.
One worried mum
