Mental health and illness

Living with and after blood cancer
#1

Continuing the discussion from Mental health concerns - Coping at Christmas:

Hi,I haven’t been on for a while,times have been trying for us all. Shielding for 5 mths wasn’t too bad because the weather was good and my garden was heaven. Going back to work in September I was scared I’d get ill. 14 weeks later,and the last week of term one of the boys I work with,his dad was diagnosed with Covid, I’d been doing work with him. I’ve broken up but started a sore throat 4 days ago,I’ve been checking my temperature throughout the day cus I’m worried about giving anything to my husband. I wear a mask at home and windows open because I don’t want him getting anything. I called 119 and they said unless I had the main symptoms I couldn’t get a test, so I feel lost. Mentally it is tough especially as I see my dad every 24th Dec and have for decades, I was supposed to see my mum on Christmas day, but I wouldn’t want to if I was carrying anything but we were put in tier 4 anyway. Sorry for the long message.

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#2

Don’t apologise for the long message. It’s so important that you have posted to share your thoughts. It’s so scary at the moment and I completely understand all off your anxieties. So much for you to contend with. Hopefully, if you haven’t got any symptoms, you are ok. I know you have to have one of the main three to get tested. Have you thought about calling the support line? They maybe able to reassure you further. Please keep posting so we can support you, especially over the next few weeks x

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#3

Hi @NewYork201, please don’t apologise for the long message, that is what our forum is for and you describe so well how mentally tough it is for you at the moment, the not knowing is the worst.
I am also in Tier 4 and I had to ring my son today to say I would not be able to see him Christmas Day, it is mentally tough and I am surprised how much it has affected me.
Please let us know how you get on and we will all be supporting each other on this forum over the holiday period and beyond.

#4

How are you doing tonight Erica? Sounds like it’s been a really tough day X

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#5

Hi @Nichola75, thanks for asking. I have a mixture of emotions, making the decision and actually ringing my son and having the conversation and him saying his favourite saying ‘it is what it is’. He lives on his own.
It gave me a great feeling of relief and after 2 sleepless nights of deliberations I slept well last night. But I still have a tearful feeling in my throat and I miss him.
I have done him a whole lot of varied cheap presents to open.
How have others felt about changes of plans with family and friends?

#6

I can imagine how difficult that conversation was and how much you must miss him. I’m sure he will love opening every single thing you have bought him. Emotions are just all over the place at the moment aren’t they. I have found today I am crying if I feel happy, sad and every other emotion!

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#7

Hi . Yes I can relate to your emotions as I too feel the same and had the same conversation.
It feels like we are back on square one, shielding as it was in March and months that followed.
So…it’s lonely table for one Christmas day…followed by Zoom cals.
Roll on getting the vaccine!!!
Try and enjoy the alternative Christmas and keep safe.x

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#8

Hi @Cazzie. I’ll be sending special wishes on Christmas Day. Who do you have zoom calls planned with?

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#9

Hi @Cazzie, I am trying to turn my thinking round to this is my opportunity to do exactly what I want to do, if I would like to spend the day in my PJ’s at eat egg and chips I will.
Anyone else got any thoughts?

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#10

Hi everyone!
hope we’re all doing okay?
@NewYork2011 it’s so lovely to hear from you and thank you so much for starting this thread, it’s such a significant issue. We can completely appreciate even without a pandemic just how trying things can be for our blood cancer community, let alone being in the middle of one. And we do always strongly encourage people to talk about the impact of all of this on their mental health- so thank you so much again for starting this conversation :+1:

For anyone within our forum community who may not have seen this already, we do also have a mind and emotions webpage here: Blood cancer: mind and emotions | Blood Cancer UK here we talk through our tips and advice on what you can do to look after your mental health and well-being. Please do feel free to have a look.

And of course, equally important! Please do keep reaching out on here for support :+1:

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#11

Hi @Cazzie. How did your christmas day go? Did you manage to see your family over zoom? I know it’s not the same but I hope it helped a little x

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#12

Hi. Yes I did do zoom. It was very nice as it goes. Christmas day went ok.
Counting down for receiving vaccines

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#13

Hi @Cazzie. I’m glad it all went ok. I did a couple of zooms, well, I was there. Intend to freeze and get tongue tied even with really close family :woman_facepalming: Still, at least I got to see them. Sure we’ve all got our fingers crossed for the vaccine. You take care and keep in touch x

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#14

Oh @Cazzie, I am glad your Christmas Day went OK, vaccines aside how are you feeling now?

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#15

Hi @NewYork2011. How are things with you at the moment. I know it was going to be hard not seeing your dad and you were feeling unwell.How was the festive period?

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#16

I tried not to directly say to my family that I wasn’t travelling up for Christmas but instead did it in a round about way by talking about how I’d be spending Christmas. It wasn’t so bad this year. I had a nice meal with two other people in the house and spoke to all of my sib,inns on the phone. The sun shone too. Definitely had worse Christmases so in the great scheme of things I know I haven’t much to complain about. Lots of others this year have lost people to COVID and must have been feeling much worse.

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