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Facing Cancer Recurrence, PTSD & Acknowledging Mental Health
Cancer: Managing Symptoms | Last Active: May 28, 2022 | Replies (434)Comment receiving replies
Hi Auntie, I agree about the small talk. I don't want people to keep asking questions of which I have no answers, I don't want pity or sympathy. Maybe this is all wrong. I have a older sister who just drives me crazy and I get so upset with her, I just prefer to stay away. She is my older sister, my parents and brother are gone . All I want is some cheerful support when needed and then treat me like any other day if I didn't have cancer. Is this selfish of me. I don't think so. We are the ones who have to deal with it and if we need emotional support and a good friend we will reach out. I talk to a counselor quite often and she is super. I have accepted the cancer and will deal with it as it comes up...……. I'm not going to live my life feelng sorry for myself. I've been thru lots of other things and survived and I will this as long as the Lord lets me...….I'm ok with that.
PS The people in here are the greatest because they all understand and that means so much.
Replies to "Hi Auntie, I agree about the small talk. I don't want people to keep asking questions..."
This is not selfish! Everyone has to live with this in their own way. I talk a lot about different health things many of which I don’t have and my husband does not have. Mostly because I like to study the nuts and bolts of disease. Also because I like to be able to understand how it affects people. I try to be respectful of what people dont want to talk about. I have been going for years here and I still am lousy at small talk. Weather is just weather and we all watch the news. I love a real conversation and I love silliness. I don’t want “oh, poor you” and I don’t want people to do things for me. I want to try to figure it out on my own first.
I, for one, am glad you came to connect! Welcome to the journey, sometimes I think we are pretty darn lucky. We don’t take our days for granted.
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@sakota This is how i feel, also. I don't want pity, I want support if I reach out. If I need to say "no" to some activity because the energy is not there, or the situation is wrong for me, please don't pat my arm and look at me with puppy-dog eyes! Since 1988 I have been dealing with chronic illnesses, some serious, and I refuse to be identified by the dis-orders listed on my chart.
Ginger