Hey Mark 52 or anyone with a idea

winterm

Hi.I have read many of your posts and a lot of your advice deals with eliminating stress.I have been battling anxiety disorder and am just a general worry wart. I understand eliminating stress is always good.I just wanted to ask you how much of a difference it makes in our situation and what kind of a difference?You have answered my posts before and the answers are always helpful. I am just looking for some more insight on this subject.They just took blood today for a 6 month check and I am trying to deal with the worry better.

Thanks

2ndBase

I had just gone through my mother dying of stomach cancer and my wife dying of breast cancer the previous 6 months before finding out about my problem 4+ years ago. I was let go from my job and lost my insurance and eventually had to file bankruptcy about 1.5 years ago. I am not complaining, just the facts. I decided to make a life and not worry so much about making a living though I have a part time job doing tutoring of math at a local community college. This is easy work and I enjoy it. Fortunately I met a wonderful woman who is very understanding and does so much to help me not have to deal with stressfull situations. Angela works 2-3 days a week at the hospital and is pursuing a nursing degree at the same college. We have great trust and our love and knowing she will be there for me no matter what happens, keeps my stress very low and my attitude very positive. The hardest thing I have had to deal with since diagnosis was the death of my dad last year from Alzhimers. Even that was made easier by having my wife here to help care for him the here at the house the final week of his life. We do not have a lot of income and have spent most of my 401K money but we get by just fine now. Having a partner to share the good times and bad is probably my best stress reducer. Having a job that I like and can physically handle without it wearing me out is nice too. I also work one day a week at a golf course, without pay, so I can play golf for free year round weather permitting. I guess I have never been much of a worrier so a lot of this is not so easy for everyone. I know I can not change the past, and I realize what I am facing long term but I have accepted having to deal with it and I just have decided that regardless of what problems come that my family will be fine. It is not easy to be told you have cancer and having been there for others in my past I would say it is at least as hard on the one's you love as it is on oneself. I saw my mom and wife die and their incomperable spirit helped me deal with my situation. I am in need of further treatment now but I am waiting till the snow flys so I can enjoy the fall weather. In reality, at this point more treatment may only increase my time left by months and not years, but I have been blessed with over 4 years of a very peace filled life and being able to deal with stress, because we all have problems, makes life easier. Every situation is different, and it is sometimes very difficult for us and people we know to accept the troubles of life. Each of us can, however, accept, adapt and calmly decide that our life, though different, is and always was just as good as we make it. I am sure that other people worry more about my cancer than I do and I wish they did not. I rarely talk about it expect on this site and many people I have known for years do not even know I have cancer. Sharing on this site helps us all to not fear what life brings, but to embrace it.