Hello all! This is my 1st post. I am 31, I was dx in Jan 08 (aged 30), my Dad died 2 weeks later. 2 days after my Dad's funeral I had a radical mastectomy. I have had 4 EC, 4 TAX and have only 4 more RADS to go. Everyone tells me how brave and special I am and how well I have coped. I have had hardly any time off work, recently it has all got really stressful for me and I feel as though I am teetering on the edge before properly losing the plot! Has anyone else felt like this? And if so have you got any advice for me? I thought it might just be a temporary feeling but it just won't go away. Thanks to anyone for any advice x PS I have a loving partner, family and friends but I feel as though none of them understand me as they haven't dealt with what I have had to - does that sound selfish?
You have really been through some horrendous events. Your dad dying so soon after your diagnosis and then having to undergo a mastectomy and you are so young. No wonder you feel overwhelmed with it all, Normally,you would have had time to grieve properly for you Dad but with having to have surgery you had no time to do this properly. You must also be in shock about having cancer and a mastectomy. That is such a big thing for anyone to go through, let alone someone of 30. And then you carried on as normal through it all, keeping up with work. You will be emotionally and physically exhausted and if you were my daughter, I would strongly advise you to have a good break from work and rest. You may also be depressed - do you have trouble with your sleeping and eating - if so you should see your GP. I went through a similar thing to you. My 2 year old was right in the middle of having treatment for cancer when my mother died suddenly. I remember going through the funeral etc in a daze and then carrying on with my son's treatment. I even started a full time nursing course 6 months later thinking how well I was coping. The next year I had a huge breakdown and had to have months off work to recover. I wish that I had taken things easy at the time, but I was determined to be tough- no way do I struggle on now - I take time off whenever I need it, especially through my treatment. Look after yourself.
Many thanks for your very kind comments. I have been discussing the possibility of counselling with friends and family recently and after reading your post I am definitely going to see my GP and ask him to refer me to see someone so I can get my thoughts in order. I am sorry to hear about the loss of your mother and I hope that your son is OK now and I hope that you are OK too - what a lot you have had to deal with.