Hi Karen, I'm so sorry to hear that you and your son are going through this. As a parent myself, I truly can feel your pain. Kids are everything, I know.
For me, personally, when I told my family members that I had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months ago, one of my biggest concerns was how they would react to the news. I made it clear to them from the start that the last thing I wanted was for them to feel stressed or upset, but rather to just stay positive for me. And they have done, all of them, including my wife. Interestingly, we still laugh together on occasions, often at stupid things.
Just curiously, how is your son going psychologically? I only ask this, because if he is maintaining a positive outlook on life, (which, in itself can be difficult because we all seem to be living in some kind of malfunctioning matrix at the moment) then that is a great thing. My point is that I'm sure that your son would want you to be relaxed and positive also, just as I want that for my family.
Also, you mention that your son had trouble getting through uni because of the treatments he has been having for so long. And I understand why only too well. I've only been on chemo for a few months, and physically it has proven to be quite draining. My thoughts here are, does your son have any passions in life that he can build on? For example, music, or musical instruments, writing, and so on. I have always believed that to enjoy the life that we have, one needs to have both a passion and a goal.
I'm nearly sixty, by the way, so I've lived a fairly long life I suppose. But as I said, always with a goal and a passion. Without those, things stagnate.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that happiness, positivity, goals and passions create harmony and positivity. Emotional instability is not good, I know. I've been there too over the years.
PM me if you would like to talk. Otherwise, hang in there. I'm sure everything will be fine for you and your son, and I wish you the very best of everything.
JD
