How A Lung Cancer Diagnosis Can Affect Your Child(ren)

Being diagnosed with lung cancer is devastating to the person being diagnosed as well as to their spouses. But it is more devastating for their children, especially if they are younger and in their teens.

Coping with the news was hard

When I was diagnosed it was the worse news to hear as well as for my husband, my mother, and my siblings but more so for my children. I didn’t realize the impact such news would have on my children. Even though I promised them that I wasn't going anywhere and I was going to fight it with everything I have in me. It was still very stressful and tramatic for them. I had to make sure I showed them my strength and determination. My poor children were so scared beyond what we can only imagine.

It is very important that you get some type of help, some type of counseling for your child(ren). I wish I knew that, I wish someone would have told me. Because I think if my children got some type of counseling they would have been able to cope with the diagnosis better.

We all have to weather our own storms

Two out of my five children, which were 13 and 17 years old at the time of my diagnosis, ended up making bad choices. They couldn’t cope with my diagnosis and they were beyond scared of losing me at such a young age. I’m happy to say that both my daughters are doing well now and have moved on. But the first couple of years of my diagnosis were rough for them as well as for me. The 17-year-old now 24 graduated from college and has a good full-time job. My 13-year-old now 20 has a very good job. She and her girlfriend have their own apartment. She recently bought herself a nice Dodge Charger.

They say we all have to go through our own storms, our children included. But to see how bad it affected my daughter was so heartbreaking. I guess it was their storm to go through and learn from it.

Seek help and support early on

Both are now doing well. But if I would have known how bad it was going to affect them. My husband and I would have done some research about getting them counseling. I would have also asked my oncologist for some advice and help. We were so worried about me that I feel my husband and I somewhat neglected our children.

It is very important to seek help and counseling for your child(ren). Even though they might not show their emotions and feelings, they are hiding it from you. They are hurting inside and don’t want you to know, but it can lead to poorly made decisions, bad choices, and possibly worse things.

If you were just diagnosed with lung cancer and you have a child or children please get them some counseling. It will help them cope better with the devastating news and give you peace of mind as well.