this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2024
125 points (100.0% liked)

Asklemmy

43893 readers
987 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy ๐Ÿ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_[email protected]~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I recently learned that a dear friend has an aggressive form of cancer. She is starting treatment soon. I don't know much about what dealing with cancer is like, so I thought I'd ask for people's experience here.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] Terces 71 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I had no cancer, but know people that did and one thing that came up often is that people tend to distance themselves from them. Not in a mean way, but dealing with special needs is tedious and that is often just a cause to not do certain things. Spending time together (no matter what you end up doing) gives a sense of normalcy and can really push someone to keep fighting. Cancer is a marathon with additional sprints (chemo) on top. Not being alone through all of this is a huge help

[โ€“] topherclay 21 points 1 month ago (1 children)

John Green had a quote about this that he was saying even before his brother had cancer.

"Don't just do something, stand there."

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I liked Hank Green's stand-up about his experience with cancer.

[โ€“] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago

This one is very real. Unfortunately having cancer doesn't mean other people's lives slow down or stop having their own problems, and (especially in the USA) it genuinely is a big strain on friendships. It goes both ways, too, I feel like I'm a burden so I reach out less.