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Supporting an already Depressed Partner through Cancer diagnosis
This week has been a really tough one.
On Monday I learned that my Mum has advanced breast cancer already spread to the lungs and likely the bones. The prognosis is very poor.
Then on Wednesday it was confirmed that my husband has lung cancer (multiple nodules) which has metastisised from either the kidney cancer he had 6 years ago or the melanoma he had removed 18 months ago. Either way the outlook is bleak. We are now going through the process of blood tests, needle aspirations for a sample to determine the origin of the tumors, bone scans, physician apts to determine whether his overall health is good enough to undergo possible treatment or surgery, etc. Once thats all done we will see the Oncologist armed with all the necessary information in order to determine where we go from here.
I am carer for my husband, who has PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcoholism and a number of other physical health issues. The diagnosis this week has hit him hard, he has had no symptoms, so it was a surprise. Only picked up due to the routine annual scans that he has had since his kidney cancer 6 years ago. Apparently it is not unusual to experience no symptoms with metastisised cancer of the lung.
He is now deeply depressed, extremely vague and forgetful, and is obviously feeling really vulnerable.
I have personally had a really difficult year and a half with loss of an 11yo niece through a car accident, my brother being suicidal, my own PTSD being triggered by a series of incidents. And now, the two most important people in my world (Mum and Husband) are both going through the ordeal of likely untreatable cancer, both within a two day period. I feel like my whole world has come crashing down, and I am struggling with everything.
My mother and other immediate family lives 6.5 hours from here, so it is not easy to be there for her. And I cant leave my husband anyway as he has to be my priority. So many appointments over the coming week or two. So I am feeling very frustrated and useless all round. Its so hard when there is simply nothing I can do for either one of them.
The best I can do is to try to remain positive for both of them. So far hubby is fairly positive, but I dont think he is fully aware of the ramifications of his diagnosis. But I am feeling far from positive myself. So how do I remain upbeat and positive for him, when I am personally crumbling under the pressure? I know how important positive thinking is when it comes to physical health issues, and I guess mental as well. But right now .... I am struggling to find a way through my own misery. Intense anxiety symptoms have once again descended.
Any advice would be appreciated.
@Shaz51 Tagged as requested in Friday Feast. Also the other mainstay in my support team @Faith-and-Hope. 
a corgi laying on me xoxo
