Terminal cancer

anne2000

Hello, new to this site I was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2015. Hard to find others to talk to in the same situation.

Conor Bourke

anne2000 wrote: »

Hello, new to this site I was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2015. Hard to find others to talk to in the same situation.

You're welcome here Anne. Sorry to hear your news, I hope we can be of some support to you.

anne2000

thanks dying people make others uncomfortable

looksee

Welcome to the site anne2000, I'm sorry to hear of your illness, I hope we might be able to help you. In the meantime have you been put in touch with the Irish Cancer Society? Do you have specific questions or are you just looking for people in a similar situation? We may split this off into a separate thread, but for the moment I will leave it here.

anne2000

just want to chat with others and find out how they cope

looksee

anne, I have moved these posts to a new thread as it might be more easily seen and not mixed up with the general chat of the other thread. It is true that people find terminal illness difficult to discuss face to face and this may be a place where you can talk to people without that embarrassment. It may take a little while for others to find this thread.

Ginger83

Hi Anne2000, i understand to some extent what you are going through, i was given bad news myself last year. Get in touch if you ever want a chat.

looksee

Hello Ginger83, thanks for getting in touch. Sorry to hear of your bad news, I hope you are getting support and help. Unfortunately we have not built up enough of a community in here yet to rely on a response to all posters I hope anne will look back in and a conversation can get started - it would, I am sure, be helpful to other people too.

The mods here would be very willing to offer support, but I have not been in your situation, though I have cared for someone with a terminal illness, and I would hesitate to comment when I know you are looking to share your thoughts with someone in a similar situation.

Elliott S

Hi Anne, I'm also in your position. Diagnosed with terminal cancer last year in my early 30s. Feel free to PM me or talk on-thread here.

What age are you?

anne2000

Hi Elliott, I like to consider myself young at 58 and really want to get much, much older than that. I guess now it's mostly down to luck as to how long the cancer drugs keep me stable. I just signed a year lease for my apartment and wonder if I will be sick or OK by then. It all seems to be a guessing game with the future and plans and making sure that the money does not run out before I die. Do you live it up or do you live with care? Nobody knows I guess.

Elliott S

anne2000 wrote: »

Hi Elliott, I like to consider myself young at 58 and really want to get much, much older than that.

I understand that feeling! Right there with you. And, yes, 58 is young. I'm exceptionally young but the 50s are far too young too, especially in a country where women can reasonably expect to live until their 80s.

anne2000 wrote: »

I guess now it's mostly down to luck as to how long the cancer drugs keep me stable. I just signed a year lease for my apartment and wonder if I will be sick or OK by then. It all seems to be a guessing game with the future and plans and making sure that the money does not run out before I die. Do you live it up or do you live with care? Nobody knows I guess.

I strike a balance. I ensure my rent and bills are paid and have fun with the rest. I've booked a holiday for May next year. It's a statement of defiance!

But when I was first diagnosed, I mourned for three months. I was genuinely grieving. I didn't care about anything, nothing brought me joy. Then it lifted. I still cry every single day but I laugh a lot too and can look forward to things again.

May I ask what kind of cancer you have? No worries if you don't want to answer that.

I have breast cancer. I've joined an online secret group on Facebook for others in my position. It's for women in the UK and Ireland. Have you searched for something like that? It's great to able to talk to others in your position about treatments, feelings, side effects etc.

I think there should be general support groups for people with terminal cancers of different hues and that way, we'd be greater in number. I feel more in common with people with terminal cancer of any kind than women with early stage, curable breast cancer.