Member Since:
20 October 2007
Posts: 6
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As a cancer patient I find that I received so much support from family, friends, etc. However I think often it goes unnoticed the journey that the support people are taking also. My husband had to divide his time between working, looking after our son and looking after me. While he was doing this I got a lot of gifts, flowers, texts, emails, messages and had the luxury of having to do nothing but lie in a hospital bed or relax at home. I got to cry when I felt like it and work through the emotions, while he had to remain strong and often be strong for the both of us. For those of us who have been on the journey I think we will always realise what the support people are going through, but I think sometimes people who have not been on the journey focus so much on the patient and the support people miss out on getting needed support too. It touched my heart when one of my friends sent a card to my sister telling her that she was thinking of how terrible it must be for her and when people at my work turned up to the hospital with presents for my son to keep him amused during his visits. We were lucky because we had a lot of support but even then my husband totally exhausted physically and emotionally and from this experience I really feel strongly about creating awareness for all of our close supporters during this journey- after all its just as difficult for them. |
Member Since:
5 October 2007
Posts: 32
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My husband was often touched by those who offered him their support, and my own plea to my family and friends was to offer theirs, not to me, but to my aged parents and my only son. I've always accepted what may be ahead for me, with full knowledge that it was they who would grieve more than I would for my life itself.
Several months into my journey he told me he'd gone and sought some counselling to deal with his emotions over it all, and my son did similarly, in re~learning meditation.
But there must be so many people out there that don't have those kind of networks in place, and I hope The Foundation will eventually be in a position to ensure there are trained people to fill that breech, to support the loved ones that support us.
This chat room is certainly a place where we can hope they may find somewhere to talk with others in learning how to cope.
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Jools |
