Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

DH has cancer

38 replies

Dingdongdo87 · 26/04/2022 19:15

My DH is 35 and has cancer and I'm struggling. It sounds silly but even hugging him makes me well up as it just makes me anxious that he might not make it 😢 I dread the thought of doing anything nice such as a date night, holiday etc as I think I'd be in tears the whole time thinking about a life without him in it and not doing those things with him ever again. Anyone else in this situation? How do you cope?

OP posts:
babbi · 27/04/2022 00:27

Hi OP
i wish you and your DH all the best in this journey.Take care

to all the many other posters.. particularly @GeminiTwin and @TheVanguardSix every one who has shared … a sincere thanks to you all …
we are a family devastated this last week with bad news and are struggling to take it in and try to figure out how on Earth we face this .

your posts are very insightful when quite frankly we cannot think see it think straight .

echt · 27/04/2022 01:45

I have no practical advice to give, but you may find this MN thread useful, It's one for posters supporting spouse/OHs through cancer: Health>Life-limiting illness> Still the Storm. It doesn't slip down the pages as threads on Chat do.

I'm a lurker on the thread, and the compassion, fortitude and humour of the posters is an example of real comradeship.

All the best, Dingdogdo87 Flowers

Nat6999 · 27/04/2022 02:19

I lost my late dp to liver disease, not cancer but I found him getting the diagnosis worse than losing him. Him getting diagnosed meant that I had to go through watching him being terrified & being terrified myself & knowing everything they told us & being the one who had to ask the questions he wouldn't. I can honestly say that him passing away was in some ways not as bad because once it happened I knew it was like drawing a line under it all, it was like closing the door on a compartment of my life. Things I recommend you do, both of you make time for yourselves, be it hobbies, going for a walk by yourself, having your hair done, whatever you want. Give yourself time to worry, I allowed myself an hour a day & then forced myself to think about other things, we didn't do the making memories thing, we tried to carry on as much as we could as normal around hospital appointments.

Silkierabbit · 27/04/2022 11:25

So sorry you and your DH are going through this at such a young age. I am on the other side, the person with cancer with 2 kids but was 48 when diagnosed.

Emotionally its very difficult and a rollercoaster. Be honest with your husband about how you are feeling and let him tell you how he is feeling and you can support each other. Its actually easier for me when my husband is honest than when he is positive, when he is positive I feel very alone as there is pressure to be positive too when you are feeling fear. The approach I like best is simply when people ask me how I am feeling, let me be honest, and support me whatever and just let me know they are there for me no matter what and will support me in whatever choices I make. The best people I have found for this are others with cancer as they get it, they know to ask how each appointment went, they know to ask how I am and that some days and some treatments will be awful, they understand some days I will be depressed and some days I will be terrified. There is no pressure to pretend everything is fine and easy, often you can only offer sympathy to each other but having each other there means so much.

When things are really bad the best thing is to take things day by day or treatment by treatment. Just focus on getting through that day, its more manageable. Find people in similar situations and keep in touch, that is the best support. Counselling can help, Macmillan does cancer patients and I found the best emergency one for reliability is the Samaritans, they don't know much about cancer but just knowing someone has volunteered their time means a lot even if they say the wrong thing. I personally wanted to know the likely outcome and all the best treatment options so I did research and it helped me and talking to oncologist, can be very busy in hospitals at the moment and I have had nowhere near the time I would have liked. But through discussing with others with cancer and researching before oncologist then asking them have got answers I need. Macmillan do have nurses as well who can answer cancer questions and I would also consider if you have the funds talking to a private oncologist / surgeon as needed. Though I find others with the same cancer can often answer a lot of the practical questions like exactly what happens in surgery and after or on chemo, I found it useful to follow people ahead of me in treatment and in turn I help those behind.

As to outcomes it becomes clearer as you go along what the likely outcome is but certainly with my cancer there is a 30% chance it could come back at stage 4 at any point and then average life expectancy is around 3 years so the threat of that is always hanging over you and its a lifelong risk. Its hard to deal with that and you do grieve for the carefree life you had before and the life you thought you would have that has been taken from you. But I try not to dwell on that as that is taking the life you do have away. I think I am grateful for the 48 carefree years I had pre this and if I had been born 100 years ago would be all I got anyway. I try to enjoy time when we can, its difficult on chemotherapy now but any break you can get take it and enjoy it and forget about cancer for then, I pretend its not happening to me and distract when I can, TV, music, anything you enjoy. Do things you have always wanted to do, don't wait for later, as you don't know if that later will come. I went to Edinburgh in Feb and then Skomer to see puffins at Easter in treatment when having breaks. There are charities which can help provide breaks as well. If you can't get away even the days out you can get will help. Exercise also helps, 20 mins a day and I read that 3 to 5 hours a week reduces risk of reoccurrence 50% I think so definitely worth being active when you both can, it is also good for mental health doing 20 mins a day. It can be the last thing you feel like but push through if you can. It does not need to be very energetic, can be 20 mins stretching legs, arms in bed or a walk but something.

Take time to make sure you are OK as well as its hard as the caregiver. I have also done practical things like a will and preparing for if I die, its depressing but then you know you have done all you can if the worst happens. I also found pets really helpful though they are extra work, am getting a Maine Coon next month always wanted one and its lovely when the kids are so excited about it as its tough on them. If you have kids tell the schools so hopefully they will put support in place and advice is to tell kids but its best when you know details of treatments etc as kids ask questions.

babbi · 27/04/2022 13:37

@Silkierabbit
thank you for your post , it was a privilege to read something so insightful and informative and inspiring.
I fully understand that you never wanted to be that person who could stand out and be admired for your profound and far reaching thoughts and I’m sorry you’ve been ill.

I wish you the very best of health going forward and thank you sincerely for taking the time to post .. it’s been invaluable at a difficult time .

Take care

Silkierabbit · 27/04/2022 15:41

Thank you for your lovely message Babbi and please feel free to PM if I can help. Its sounds like your family are going through a very difficult time.

Dingdongdo87 · 29/04/2022 18:48

babbi · 27/04/2022 00:27

Hi OP
i wish you and your DH all the best in this journey.Take care

to all the many other posters.. particularly @GeminiTwin and @TheVanguardSix every one who has shared … a sincere thanks to you all …
we are a family devastated this last week with bad news and are struggling to take it in and try to figure out how on Earth we face this .

your posts are very insightful when quite frankly we cannot think see it think straight .

Oh babbi I’m so sorry you are dealing with this too - it really is awful isn’t it. I have found everyone’s replies to this thread so lovely and helpful so I’m glad they’ve helped you too x

OP posts:
Dingdongdo87 · 29/04/2022 18:49

Ive just come back to this thread after a few days away. My anxiety is sky high today so reading through all the replies again is helping me. Thank you so much again to all of you xx

OP posts:
bloodywhitecat · 29/04/2022 18:56

Dingdongdo87 · 29/04/2022 18:49

Ive just come back to this thread after a few days away. My anxiety is sky high today so reading through all the replies again is helping me. Thank you so much again to all of you xx

I think the earliest days were the hardest in some ways, I had bumps in the road with each, progressively worse, next step but the early days post diagnosis were some of the toughest. Have you spoken to you surgery? The nurse from ours phoned me regularly to see how I was doing, it helped to have someone to run through the fears in my head with. I was prescribed some zopiclone for sleep and some diazepam for as and when I needed it for the anxiety. I found I didn't use either much but just having them helped.

SeaToSki · 29/04/2022 19:04

I have supported my best friend while her 13 yr old daughter died of cancer (she was the light of my life as well as her mothers 😥)

The best advice I had came from my mother. You just have to live alongside it.

You dont have to fight it, its not actually a battle with winners and losers
You shouldnt ignore it or not take action against it because that is not helpful
You just have to live alongside it.

So if you can, put it in a box in your mind. When you need to think about it, to discuss treatments or logistics or do research, take it out of the box and dig deep into it

When you need to grieve, cry, shout, celebrate, scream, be in the moment with it, take it out of the box and dig deep into it

The rest of the time, try and let it stay in the box. It takes some practice and stern words when it keeps trying to jump out like a toddler who has just discovered there are no railings on the big boy bed. But I found that telling myself “I will think about that in bed tonight” helped. Then when you are safe and can give it enough time (which might be 2 mins or 2 hours) let it out and feel all your emotions fully through your whole body, cry, howl, stamp your feet, throw pillows, shriek. It helps not to bottle up the intensity of your love and rage.

Sending hugs to all the other travelers on this unwanted journey

2bazookas · 29/04/2022 19:49

You're in shock, knocked for six, but you WILL find a new equilibrium in time.

Cry as much as you want whenever you want, in front of anyone. Don't bottle it up. The more open you are, the better. Tell everyone that DH has cancer, (because you'll be very surprised who turns out to be an absolute rock and gem ) and accept all the help/support/hugs offered.

Get some support for yourself from cancer charities.
I recommend Macmillan for face to face talking, online communities for carers and patients (separate!) , specialist cancer nurse explanations, and their excellent info books for different cancers.

I recommend Maggies Centre if you have one within reach) for group "therapy" ; they offer yoga, relaxation techniques, meditation with other people in the same boat. No need to talk, explain, say or do anything. You're in a safe place , just be.

Dingdongdo87 · 29/04/2022 21:08

SeaToSki · 29/04/2022 19:04

I have supported my best friend while her 13 yr old daughter died of cancer (she was the light of my life as well as her mothers 😥)

The best advice I had came from my mother. You just have to live alongside it.

You dont have to fight it, its not actually a battle with winners and losers
You shouldnt ignore it or not take action against it because that is not helpful
You just have to live alongside it.

So if you can, put it in a box in your mind. When you need to think about it, to discuss treatments or logistics or do research, take it out of the box and dig deep into it

When you need to grieve, cry, shout, celebrate, scream, be in the moment with it, take it out of the box and dig deep into it

The rest of the time, try and let it stay in the box. It takes some practice and stern words when it keeps trying to jump out like a toddler who has just discovered there are no railings on the big boy bed. But I found that telling myself “I will think about that in bed tonight” helped. Then when you are safe and can give it enough time (which might be 2 mins or 2 hours) let it out and feel all your emotions fully through your whole body, cry, howl, stamp your feet, throw pillows, shriek. It helps not to bottle up the intensity of your love and rage.

Sending hugs to all the other travelers on this unwanted journey

Oh I can't imagine how horrendous this must have been for you and your friend, absolutely heartbreaking!! Why is life so unfair and cruel.
This is really good advice about trying to put things in boxes, I'll really try and do this. Thank you x

OP posts:
sonicred · 29/04/2022 21:10
Flowers
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread