How do you deal with the waiting??????????????

caregiver4all

I am new to the site. I think this will be a great place for me to get support and information. My brother was diagnosed on June 17th with signet ring cells in the stomach. We first had to find a surgeon which took time to get appts..... Now tomorrow we will have the endoscope/sonogram done.

How do you deal with the waiting in between appts and test results. I am trying my best to keep busy but it is so hard. The not knowing the full extent and the waiting has made my depression come back full force.

Any advice.... As I am sure this Hurry Up & Wait aspects of this illness will be with us all the way through the illness.

Thanks

Ellen

zinniemay

Everyone has played that game
Everyone has played the hurry up and wait game. We try to just keep a positive mind at all times. We wait and then waited more. It is not easy to do. You are not alone , bet not one person on here can tell you that they were first in line. Just take it one day at a time.
Take this time to think of the good things. Depression everyone on here can tell you about it. Don't let it rob you of the better days . Everytime it creeps into your thoughts think about something funny . Now is the time to be strong. There is always someone on here that can chat with you about what is going on.
I wish I had a better answer for you. All I can say is laugh and cry if you have to. The time will pass. I wish you and yours the best.

ms.sunshine

zinniemay said:

Everyone has played that game
Everyone has played the hurry up and wait game. We try to just keep a positive mind at all times. We wait and then waited more. It is not easy to do. You are not alone , bet not one person on here can tell you that they were first in line. Just take it one day at a time.
Take this time to think of the good things. Depression everyone on here can tell you about it. Don't let it rob you of the better days . Everytime it creeps into your thoughts think about something funny . Now is the time to be strong. There is always someone on here that can chat with you about what is going on.
I wish I had a better answer for you. All I can say is laugh and cry if you have to. The time will pass. I wish you and yours the best.

There is no right or wrong
There is no right or wrong way to deal with the waiting. It's whatever gets you thru. I try to do all the things that I would normally do if I wasn't waiting.

dixiegirl

Emotional Torture
Waiting is nothing more than emotional torture in my opinion. I waited for 2 weeks to get my original biopsy results. I was walking around with the phone in my hands praying the phone would ring, while being terrified it WOULD ring. I took the phone with me everywhere, including the bathroom. I work in customer service and talk on the phone all day..........talk about stress and anger when the phone would ring and NOT be my doctor.

Like I said torture.

Four years later, the frustration of waiting for doctors visits and tests is still bad, although better. It is hard stay positive I admit. What I can suggest to you is to teach yourself something you've never done that takes LOTS of concentration. I tried to learn how to crochet. I started over ALOT.

Take care, and know I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Beth

caregiver4all

dixiegirl said:

Emotional Torture
Waiting is nothing more than emotional torture in my opinion. I waited for 2 weeks to get my original biopsy results. I was walking around with the phone in my hands praying the phone would ring, while being terrified it WOULD ring. I took the phone with me everywhere, including the bathroom. I work in customer service and talk on the phone all day..........talk about stress and anger when the phone would ring and NOT be my doctor.

Like I said torture.

Four years later, the frustration of waiting for doctors visits and tests is still bad, although better. It is hard stay positive I admit. What I can suggest to you is to teach yourself something you've never done that takes LOTS of concentration. I tried to learn how to crochet. I started over ALOT.

Take care, and know I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Beth

Thanks for the suggestions
Hi

Thanks for all the support and suggestions. Today was a big day. My brother had the endoscope/sonogram. Things went as well as you could expect considering the doctors were looking for cancer. He has stage T1 which is the best case scenario. I just feel so relieved to know what stage and what we are in for. The not knowing is a killer.

I do crochet and it did run thru my mind to start croheting to occupy my time. Maybe down the road.

Thanks again

Will keep all of you in my prayers

Ellen

sea60

Ellen
With much prayer!

My sister and I just kept praying and asking for peace between these waiting periods.

It helps me.

terato

Giving yourself things to look forward to!
They don't have to be big things, just enjoyable ones (movies, television shows, visits with friends, trips into the city, lunch by a lake, etc.) that will pass the time and divert your thoughts from test results.

I remember going in for blood work one sunny day in July and, rather than just driving home, leaving my car in the hospital garage and taking a long walk on the shore of Lake Michigan, buying a veggie burger in the park, and visiting Lincoln Park Zoo. That same day, I met friends for dinner and finished the evening with comedy at Chicago's Second City. This was all just to relieve the anxiety of waiting.

At other times, I would buy a favorite video and an imported bottle of beer, kick back and enjoy.

Whatever works for you?

Love, Courage, and Peace of Mind!

Rick