Receiving a Cancer Diagnosis and Your Feelings
Perhaps you had an experience such as this; you are sitting in the doctor’s office and hearing the news that you or your loved one has cancer is one of the scariest moments in your life. The doctor may keep talking but it can feel like your heart and your whole world has stopped in its tracks. You leave the doctor’s office feeling numb, thoughts of, “how is this possible”. You get outside into your car and the world keeps moving like it always does and you may feel disoriented, like you are on a rollercoaster and begging in your head “please stop this ride I want off NOW”. But there is no getting off. Life just keeps coming at you and the endless medical appointments and all the conflicting information about treatment options. The doctors give all the information but does anyone get the emotional pain you're in? When you wake-up in the morning first thing that comes to your mind perhaps is “was it all just a bad dream?” You wish you could just wake-up from this nightmare you have entered. It can feel so overwhelming all the medical procedures, appointments, medications, and all the thoughts and feelings that seem to be happening so fast. It can feel very scary and lonely both as the person diagnosed with cancer and as the spouse or a loved one. It can be difficult to talk about with others and can sometimes feel like others don’t understand or want to hear about what you're going through. You may be experiencing an intense array of emotions: numbness, anger, disbelief, fear, despair, sadness, and grief. I however would be honoured to walk with you or your loved one as you travel down this difficult road of cancer. I strongly believe that when we are faced with a health crisis no one should walk that road alone. I believe that is when we need connection the most. My goal is to help support you through this difficult time in your life by helping you be heard and process your experiences, emotions and provide you with tools and strategies to support you, all in a safe space.
