My father was just diagnosed with terminal cancer...

[trlove]

Hello, my name is Tatiana. I just found out, one week ago today, that my father was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. He was given 3 months to a year. I have always had a small family, and have not lost anyone yet. For my father, who I love with every bit of me, to be the first one to pass, will tear me in two.

I am living with him and taking care of him, and to watch him go through the daily pain and weakness kills me. Because he has always been the world's most stuborn man, he hates accepting help or admitting he needs it, and being a victim to depression his whole life, this diagnosis has affected him far worse than just physically.  He is at a point right now where he can barely get up and doing so drains him. I know the pain he is going through is far worse than mine, however, it's killing me to see this happening.

I can't seem to focus on homework and have fallen far behind, as well as wake up and go to sleep with the same thoughts on my mind every day; how much longer I have him.

I am writing this post in hopes of finding someone who can help offer me some sort of advice as to how to continue functioning and living my life in order to help my father live happily until the end. Any reply will be helpful. Thank you for listening.

[Kayla]

Hi Tatiana.

In some ways I am in a very similar boat to yourself. My dad was just diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and given 3-6 months - he is my best mate too. I am working full time and also studying part time at Uni. My only advice in that area is to talk to your teacher/principal/lecturer etc about what is going on. Mine have been very understanding and have allowed me to take time off/hand assessments in late/swap days that he has been in hospital etc. I hope that yours will be as well.

I am all very new to this, so I don't really know what else to say to you.. All I can say is that my thoughts are with you on this sh*tty journey, and I hope that you can make some great memories with him over the next few months/years. I hope that you also have people that you can speak with, as you need to vent and talk as well.