Cancer Is A Family Disease

When a family member is diagnosed with cancer, they are not the only one affected. All of that person’s family members and friends go through cancer right along with the patient.

 

When I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, my family went through it right along with me. My mother and my husband took care of me. My ex-husband spent more time with our son because I wasn’t able to do the usual mom things. My son needed reassurance that I was going to be ok. My friends reached out with offers to help in any way that they could.

Cancer is a life threatening disease, and it is scary as hell. Your loved ones are terrified that they are going to lose you. They want to do something, anything to make this go away. And they can’t.

My husband spent time alone crying because he was terrified that I was going to die. My son cried in my arms at the thought of losing me. And my mother cried with me at the injustice of it all.

Cancer rocks a family to its very core. There is so much helplessness. There is so much that is unknown. And family members feel that they have to be strong for their sick loved one.

Fortunately, there are ways for family members to deal with their feelings. There is therapy. There are support groups, for adults as well as children.

Cancer is very taxing on family members. They are left to fill the void that the patient is unable to do. Things like housework, taking sole care of the children, and also taking care of their sick loved one. It is all very difficult.

Hopefully those family members seek help. A loved one having cancer is too much of a burden to shoulder on one’s own.

xoxo Jennie