Spiraling…When Families Battle Cancer Together

So now that you’re battling lung cancer, and trying to make it through the madness as the news is settled. What happens when you now find out your family members have also been diagnosed with cancer? This revelation can be a double whammy, because as soon as you get your thoughts together, now you have to draw your energy towards that special loved one who’s trying to cope as well. The thoughts that may run through one’s mind may be tremendous, why such punishment...“Like, what is Going On"?!

Rely on your support team

There’s no right or wrong how to get started but everyone is on the same team, and this time is so crucial. You may have a tough go of it then the other person now battling cancer or you may be the strong lead as you both get through this. This may, in fact, push your strength forward even more. To beat this together, a strong support system is about empathy and respect for each other.

What and how should you move forward? Well don’t feel the need to overload in the depth of information. You battling lung cancer and now learning about this other disease of your loved one should not make you feel like you need to be a scholar in medical overload. This process alone may be stressful and there’s no need to make it even more chaotic for both of you. The time to take this one step at a time is the key.

Ask for help

It’s perfectly fine to reach out and support each other, and it’s also okay to state when each of you may need help. It can be all too much to take care of your situation as well as someone else’s. These are some helpful resources:

• Cancer Care Hope
• Look Good Feel Better

Here are some other considerations to support each other:

• Accompany each other when possible to each other’s doctor appointments. To have each of you support each other as you go through treatment and understand the anxieties -- well it helps both parties coping to have this strong connection.
• Practical Errands -- if you are able to schedule a time to do your own errands, and possibly help add another shared task to the list, that speaks highly of helping each other. Helping by grocery shopping, throwing mail in the mailbox, or collaborating in picking up kids on an assigned day. In any way, you both can arrange and work together through this trial and tribulation.

Talk it out

Whether you’re close or far away, perhaps make time to add a weekly check-update for each other. If you want to talk about treatment than do so, it can be anything you want to get off your shoulder. If you want your support partner to just hear you out, and then you two reciprocate the opportunity, go for it.

Again there’s no rule book but having your “Battle Partner” know you’re there for them as they are for you is the first step, in getting through this together.

The time to fight is now, with integrity, grace, hope, and a smile...when you feel like it.