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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

I'm a bit stuck now with some bad news...

412 replies

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 17:41

Hi all.

Maybes a bit of a long post, so I do apologise.

I have just been given bad news by my ex boyfriend that he has cancer. He's only late 40s and we spent over a decade together and we're friends first. It was a bit of a turbulent relationship at times, but we had some good times, made memories and just couldn't deal with the world well, but we don't hold that against each other.

We properly spilt a few years ago, but remained friends and he helped me out a lot when I hurt my back and the most supportive person when my grandad died.

I am now in a new relationship, but it's a relationship I wish I had never gotten into and it's seems very hard to get out of. Hes a much older man, controlling, condescending and just basically won't get out of my life and I've asked him many times to. We do have nice days, but he is very teenage like, very argumentative and always has to be right. Sexually coercive and just a bit of a head do. I don't want to get the police involved and my parents are very close to removing him from house..... Anyways..... That will all be sorted out soon...

My ex and I are amicable, I do care for him and he's a nice lad, helps anyone with anything type of person. Now that I have been told this cancer news I am immediately wanting to help him. I see him for the first time in 9 months tomorrow at the hospital. He is going for chemo and whatever the hospital say, which is his choice.

He knows I am more holistic and says he will accept natural help after the chemo. He has a loving mother, he has a daughter I don't know of they are estranged still, and he has a sister he half gets on with. He's well known as a good lad around the area and has nice mates.

In my mind, (maybes it's panic), but I am thinking of asking him when he gets better from chemo if he wants to come and stay with me for a bit (nothing sexual) as I have moved out into the countryside. In my mind I am hoping to help him get his immune system back naturally and show him that it's ok to take time out to heal. He's a massive stickler for working and is constantly employed working hard. I live alone (technically) with our cat we got together 11 years ago.

He never looked after his health and I just feel he deserves a second chance hopefully in life to redeem himself and see a new outlook on life and cherish it. I am no way looking to have a couple relationship with him again, but he is a great friend.

When I found out this morning, I told my current partner (1 year) and he started trying to lecture me about cancer as he thinks I'm thick, and were both holistic so I dont know what he was trying to tell me. I told him I wasn't interested in what he had to say as I know what he was pushing and I shouted at him and he got pissy at me and we haven't spoken since. He's left to take his dog out, not even texted me to see if I'm ok. No emotional support at all.

I'm in bad health myself with my bad back and been in bed depressed all day in tears, having to contact old mutual friends and stuff. I've been helping out with trying to get my ex with pip and stuff like that, get the ball rolling until I see him face to face.

I'm literally sick of my current fella draining me like he does and he has his own place but chooses to live here with all his stuff clogging my house up just being lazy and making excuses.

I feel like my ex deserves my help so much more than this narcissist and maybe he will just leave anyways when he's not getting the attention.

I don't know what I'm writing here, I'm just getting stuff out, but do you think it's unreasonable or weird to ask my ex if he wants to stay on a bed downstairs to try and heal? He's been living with his mam for a year or so and she's getting on mid 70s now and wasn't well herself last year.

Obvs I will wait until I get this current one out of my house first!

Thanks for reading if you did, please go easy on me, I'm not after any negativity.

OP posts:
JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:02

Deebee90 · 17/09/2025 20:58

So he’s got stage 4 bowel cancer. Chemo is a bitch to fight and he might not want healthy foods I know I didn’t with mine. Let him come to yours for the fresh air and rest. I guarantee he’ll need the company with such a diagnosis.

Wow stage 4 is that what it is?

He never told me what stage, he was having lots of tests and scans today so I don't even know if he knew himself then, just told me the situation and whats happened.

OP posts:
Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:02

whyschoolwhy · 17/09/2025 19:55

My god people love to jump on a poster without reading their post (or willfully ignoring key points). The OP never said she was to try to talk her ex out of chemo or any other medical treatment. You lot just love a pile on.

She strongly implied it

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:04

Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:02

She strongly implied it

No I never, but dream on like the rest of them.

OP posts:
Rosscameasdoody · 17/09/2025 21:06

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 17:49

I see what your saying, but I didn't say I'm stopping him from getting chemo if you read it properly.

After he has had chemo I was thinking of offering him respite and supplying him with lots of cold pressed fruit juices and an organic healthy diet and walks/wheelchair in the countryside.

He was a big drinker with a very processed diet which didn't help him obviously.

Please don't just think of holistic as being mumbo jumbo. Hollistic is natural health.

Edited

Be very very careful OP. There are some juices and so called holistic treatments which interfere with cancer treatments. I have breast cancer and even something as simple as grapefruit or pomegranate can significantly interfere with the effectiveness of cancer drugs.

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:07

Swandry · 17/09/2025 20:59

Not from my imagination no. From the post where she said that her friend needed to redeem himself from his health, and the definition of “to redeem”.

hth.

Exactly she DID NOT say getting cancer was a failure. Stop twisting her words and making deliberately unkind posts. I don’t understand what are you getting from your faux outrage and snide posts. This isn’t AIBU

WeNeedToTalkAboutIT · 17/09/2025 21:09

Swandry · 17/09/2025 20:19

I can’t get over the statement that getting cancer is a failure.

i have likely got ovarian cancer.

I never smoked. Rarely drank (Christmas and my birthday and a lot of years not even that. My last drink was last new years when I had a whiskey at midnight). Exercised until I got disabled. Ate healthy and with minimal UPF before that was even a thing.

But I’ve failed because I’ve got cancer. And if I turn out to be terminal I’ve not redeemed my self to my health. Whatever the fuck that means.

I'm sorry to hear about your likely diagnosis. I can't imagine how you are feeling tonight, and I wish you all the very best for a successful recovery. I can imagine how, being in your situation, reading this thread has landed for you. I also I think your personal situation is (completely understandably) causing you to read meaning into the OP's posts that she doesn't intend.

She's understandably more than a bit upset at the moment, so I think it's reasonable to forgive if her language isn't quite on point. She very clearly didn't mean to blame him or anybody else for causing his or their own cancer.

As I say, wishing you (and the OP's ex) all the very best for returning to health!

Deebee90 · 17/09/2025 21:09

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:02

Wow stage 4 is that what it is?

He never told me what stage, he was having lots of tests and scans today so I don't even know if he knew himself then, just told me the situation and whats happened.

If it’s spread then unfortunately it’s stage 4

juts be there for him and if he needs to chat etc talk to him

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:10

Tipeetommeey · 17/09/2025 20:50

OP then you still need to be calm. It’s a shock, but it’s not a tragedy until there’s no other options. Stage 4 bowel cancer can be treated. I’m perhaps being flippant because my husband died of an incredibly rare cancer which was diagnosed very late and had very few treatment options. Therefore I’m very much of the view that if there’s a treatment plan and evidence of treatments being effective even if the condition isn’t curable it’s not a tragedy until the options have been exhausted. Bowel cancer Spreading to kidneys is exceptionally rare although liver is more common. You’re best making sure you support him that he’s getting the care he needs from a good doctor and getting second opinions if he’s not happy with what he’s told. Hopefully he’ll be ok and honestly bowel cancer is moving fast with treatments and people can live well with it

Thank you for your kind post. I don't know much about the progression of the treatments so thank you for some viewpoint.

OP posts:
comeondover · 17/09/2025 21:10

OMG @JustaGirlTrying I'm shocked at the responses you've been getting. I think you inadvertently triggered some strong feelings amongst some posters who didn't read what you wrote properly. They say no good deed goes unpunished, jeez...

Anyway, to answer your question, no of course it's not weird to offer some kindness to a friend in a very difficult situation. Whether he wants to take you up on it or not, he will be comforted and touched that you care enough to offer.

And good luck with getting your horrible partner out of your house and your life

Swandry · 17/09/2025 21:10

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:07

Exactly she DID NOT say getting cancer was a failure. Stop twisting her words and making deliberately unkind posts. I don’t understand what are you getting from your faux outrage and snide posts. This isn’t AIBU

I’ll tell you what I’m getting from it shall I?

what the fuck did I do wrong? Why have I got ovarian cancer? I didn’t smoke. I didn’t drink. I didn’t do fuck all I need to redeem my health from so why have I got it? Tell me please? On top of everything else I’ve got wrong with me from mental health issues to physical disabilities that are caused by a condition that is only going to get worse, how do I REDEEM my health out of this? What the fuck did I do wrong that I got this to deal with?

Redeem myself to my health. So I did something wrong. I did a failure to my health. What was it tell me please?

that’s what I want to know. Thanks.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 17/09/2025 21:10

Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:02

She strongly implied it

I didn't read it like that, friend isn't great at looking after his health, OP encouraging juices alongside chemotherapy.
This place is a cesspit of bullying tactics.

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:12

Deebee90 · 17/09/2025 21:09

If it’s spread then unfortunately it’s stage 4

juts be there for him and if he needs to chat etc talk to him

Right ok thank you, I guess we've got a lot to talk about tomorrow then.

OP posts:
Foodylicious · 17/09/2025 21:14

I think you are coming from a really good place.
Though I agree priority would be get abusive twat out of your life.
Spend a bit of time on just you.
Support ex a bit, and maybe offer a long weekend stay at yours for some rest.

Re people getting caught up on you using the work 'holistic'.
I'd read it in terms of you looking at mind and body/whole health approach, and offering him a bit if this. Not that you were suggesting alternative medicine (as we all know that in the face of cancer thats bathing nonsense).

Nothing wrong with you thinking what might be helpful for him down the line, but right now he just needs his freind to go to this one appt with him
Take it a day/step at a time.

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:15

comeondover · 17/09/2025 21:10

OMG @JustaGirlTrying I'm shocked at the responses you've been getting. I think you inadvertently triggered some strong feelings amongst some posters who didn't read what you wrote properly. They say no good deed goes unpunished, jeez...

Anyway, to answer your question, no of course it's not weird to offer some kindness to a friend in a very difficult situation. Whether he wants to take you up on it or not, he will be comforted and touched that you care enough to offer.

And good luck with getting your horrible partner out of your house and your life

Thank you so much! I can't believe the responses myself, but in staying to reply to them I was hoping to make people actually read a recoil a bit at their sharp responses and misjudgements.

As it's not fair to other people who are new posters, maybes people will read posts properly.

OP posts:
DeeKitch · 17/09/2025 21:15

Do you feel he’s the one that got away?

get rid of current guy

offer friendship to ex while he’s ill and when he’s in recovery

wishing him (and you) well x

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:15

@Swandry. The OP explained her ex did not look after his health and was hoping he would learn to do so in future. She DID NOT say or imply his bad health choices caused his cancer. You’ve made a link that doesn’t exist.

Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:18

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:04

No I never, but dream on like the rest of them.

You don’t have to be snippy at everyone who doesn’t agree with you.

Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:18

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:15

@Swandry. The OP explained her ex did not look after his health and was hoping he would learn to do so in future. She DID NOT say or imply his bad health choices caused his cancer. You’ve made a link that doesn’t exist.

That is by its very nature what that wording implies.

WeNeedToTalkAboutIT · 17/09/2025 21:19

Mumtobabyhavoc · 17/09/2025 20:51

TBF, OP said:

"In my mind I am hoping to help him get his immune system back naturally"

"He never looked after his health and I just feel he deserves a second chance hopefully in life to redeem himself"

These comments do sound suggestive of a better approach and also blaming the friend for getting cancer.

OP might not have said that exactly, but it does come across that way. That's why there have been so many replies telling her to stay out of it.

I understand how people have jumped to those conclusions. I read them as:

Helping him to regain his immune system after chemo treatment (which is widely known to negatively impact a patient's own immune system)

"He didn't look after his health much before. I'd like to support him to look after his health better."

She's clarified and apologised for poor choices of wording in subsequent posts, so that's why I'm feeling frustrated by people who are still reacting to the OP without having read the updates. It's never been easier to read just the OP's posts on mumsnet, and it get tiresome when you have kept up to date to read people piling on to an already upset OP because they haven't bothered to read on.

Changeforthis79 · 17/09/2025 21:19

Please get rid of the current one out of your house...no matter what happens with your ex you need the current one gone then you'll see more clearly...this makes me sad as I've been through similar...years on you have clarity that you don't have when they are in your face all the time.

GlastoNinja · 17/09/2025 21:19

My friend had bowel cancer. She was on a very odd (to my mind) but strict diet. The things I would have considered healthy, she was not allowed and vice versa. This was because she needed to eat food which did not stay in her system.

So your ideas of what is healthy / holistic may be wildly inappropriate.

JustaGirlTrying · 17/09/2025 21:21

Swandry · 17/09/2025 21:10

I’ll tell you what I’m getting from it shall I?

what the fuck did I do wrong? Why have I got ovarian cancer? I didn’t smoke. I didn’t drink. I didn’t do fuck all I need to redeem my health from so why have I got it? Tell me please? On top of everything else I’ve got wrong with me from mental health issues to physical disabilities that are caused by a condition that is only going to get worse, how do I REDEEM my health out of this? What the fuck did I do wrong that I got this to deal with?

Redeem myself to my health. So I did something wrong. I did a failure to my health. What was it tell me please?

that’s what I want to know. Thanks.

But I'm not talking about YOUR health though am I?

I'm talking about his health in general.

I never said he caused his own cancer via diet, but eating healthily will help him more, (now not so sure if it's stage 4 though aye), MAYBES if he survives the chemo,AYBES it'll give him a nice healthy start to start a new journey on life IF he survives.

Put it down.

I wasn't causing an argument in the first place.

OP posts:
Swandry · 17/09/2025 21:22

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:15

@Swandry. The OP explained her ex did not look after his health and was hoping he would learn to do so in future. She DID NOT say or imply his bad health choices caused his cancer. You’ve made a link that doesn’t exist.

That’s exactly what she said. I implied nothing.

Ive already tied to leave the thread once. Please can people stop tagging me. Thanks.

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:23

Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:18

That is by its very nature what that wording implies.

No it doesn’t. It doesn’t imply that at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Donttellempike · 17/09/2025 21:24

OhMyGiddyAnt · 17/09/2025 21:23

No it doesn’t. It doesn’t imply that at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️

That’s your opinion.