Thanks so much for your reply Maureen. You and your husband have certainly had a lot to deal with in a short time. Rick was only diagnosed mid Sep so this is new for us too. In 2006 he had major surgery to remove his bladder, prostate and appendix and apart from learning to cope with the bladder bag, he has done really well. He has a lot of pain now which they are trying to get on top of with a concoction of drugs until he has radiation therapy. We are not even sure what his prognosis is - its hard to know what questions to ask and so we just have to trust the drs. The long waits between appointments have been very hard also. I am also very busy with my job and at times feel as though I have two lives and am juggling both and am about to drop everything. Our family and friends don't live close and even though we have friends where we now live its hard to talk to them as I tear up which then makes them feel bad. Thanks again for replying, it helps knowing someone is there who understands. ... View more

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Oh what a terrible load you've got on your young shoulders! It is totally natural to feel emotional, particularly at a time in your life that should be filled with celebration. It isn't fair to deal with such heavy issues, when you should be having fun and looking forward to the future. I hope you've got lots of supportive friends and family to help you both through this tough time. Perhaps talking to a counsellor or psychologist would help too, as they're not emotionally invested in the situation (and sometimes people close to us don't say the right things). Otherwise there's the Cancer Council helpline, Leukaemia foundation or Canteen. I'm a bit older than you (34), but still feel young compared to most of the other Chemo patients, and remember what it's like to be 21 and in love. Cancer is often an old-person's disease and battling it at a younger age is isolating. It's hard to juggle work and a social life with sickness. I hope that your boyfriend's treatment is going well, and that you can celebrate finishing treatment in lieu of missing out on a fun 21st! My thoughts are with you. Catherine ... View more