› Forums › General Melanoma Community › What can I do for a friend who has been recently diagnosed with melanoma?
- This topic has 12 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by
Bubbles.
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- August 27, 2015 at 1:25 am
I have a friend who just got diagnosed. They are being worked up in the next few weeks – scans, lymph node biopsies, etc. Stage is currently unknown. They are anxious and scared and the work up is over the next couple of weeks. They are tired of being looked at "as a cancer patient". I want to do something for them without overwhelming them with this new diagnosis. Any advice would be appreciated from anyone that has melanoma and could tell me what it was like being diagnosed and what I can do to help. Thank you.
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- August 27, 2015 at 2:36 am
I will share what a dear friend did for me. She went with me my appt, took notes, waited for me during surgery, stayed over night the day of my surgery so I wasn’t alone, took the names of important people to call when I got out of surgery. I was so confused the first weeks, very much in crisis mode. She encouraged me to continue my routines, and checked on me often.
learn what you can about mel, be present for her, I mean be really BE present. Don’t just say
you will. A true friend is a treasure. I learned so much from her, and will hopefully have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.♡
Kathy McC -
- August 27, 2015 at 2:36 am
I will share what a dear friend did for me. She went with me my appt, took notes, waited for me during surgery, stayed over night the day of my surgery so I wasn’t alone, took the names of important people to call when I got out of surgery. I was so confused the first weeks, very much in crisis mode. She encouraged me to continue my routines, and checked on me often.
learn what you can about mel, be present for her, I mean be really BE present. Don’t just say
you will. A true friend is a treasure. I learned so much from her, and will hopefully have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.♡
Kathy McC -
- August 27, 2015 at 2:36 am
I will share what a dear friend did for me. She went with me my appt, took notes, waited for me during surgery, stayed over night the day of my surgery so I wasn’t alone, took the names of important people to call when I got out of surgery. I was so confused the first weeks, very much in crisis mode. She encouraged me to continue my routines, and checked on me often.
learn what you can about mel, be present for her, I mean be really BE present. Don’t just say
you will. A true friend is a treasure. I learned so much from her, and will hopefully have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.♡
Kathy McC -
- August 27, 2015 at 2:45 am
I will share what a dear friend did for me. She went with me my appt, took notes, waited for me during surgery, stayed over night the day of my surgery so I wasn’t alone, took the names of important people to call when I got out of surgery. I was so confused the first weeks, very much in crisis mode. She encouraged me to continue my routines, and checked on me often.
learn what you can about mel, be present for her, I mean be really BE present. Don’t just say
you will. A true friend is a treasure. I learned so much from her, and will hopefully have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.♡
Kathy McC -
- August 27, 2015 at 2:45 am
I will share what a dear friend did for me. She went with me my appt, took notes, waited for me during surgery, stayed over night the day of my surgery so I wasn’t alone, took the names of important people to call when I got out of surgery. I was so confused the first weeks, very much in crisis mode. She encouraged me to continue my routines, and checked on me often.
learn what you can about mel, be present for her, I mean be really BE present. Don’t just say
you will. A true friend is a treasure. I learned so much from her, and will hopefully have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.♡
Kathy McC -
- August 27, 2015 at 2:45 am
I will share what a dear friend did for me. She went with me my appt, took notes, waited for me during surgery, stayed over night the day of my surgery so I wasn’t alone, took the names of important people to call when I got out of surgery. I was so confused the first weeks, very much in crisis mode. She encouraged me to continue my routines, and checked on me often.
learn what you can about mel, be present for her, I mean be really BE present. Don’t just say
you will. A true friend is a treasure. I learned so much from her, and will hopefully have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.♡
Kathy McC -
- August 27, 2015 at 12:23 pm
The first person I told (besides my husband) was my sister who used to be an oncology nurse. I come from a very large family and I mentioned to her that I dreaded having to communicate my situation over and over again. She asked if I wanted to assign her the job of keeping everyone informed of everything and I accepted her offer. It was not until quite a while later that I realized what a gift it was and how much that helped me.
I hope all the best for your friends. They are fortunate to have someone in their lives who not only wants to help, but wants to help effectively.
Mary
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- August 27, 2015 at 12:23 pm
The first person I told (besides my husband) was my sister who used to be an oncology nurse. I come from a very large family and I mentioned to her that I dreaded having to communicate my situation over and over again. She asked if I wanted to assign her the job of keeping everyone informed of everything and I accepted her offer. It was not until quite a while later that I realized what a gift it was and how much that helped me.
I hope all the best for your friends. They are fortunate to have someone in their lives who not only wants to help, but wants to help effectively.
Mary
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- August 27, 2015 at 12:23 pm
The first person I told (besides my husband) was my sister who used to be an oncology nurse. I come from a very large family and I mentioned to her that I dreaded having to communicate my situation over and over again. She asked if I wanted to assign her the job of keeping everyone informed of everything and I accepted her offer. It was not until quite a while later that I realized what a gift it was and how much that helped me.
I hope all the best for your friends. They are fortunate to have someone in their lives who not only wants to help, but wants to help effectively.
Mary
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- August 29, 2015 at 3:02 pm
You are already a good cancer friend…since you went to the trouble to ask the question! I have been asked to answer this question many times. Your post encouraged me to write it down. So…this one is for all the cancer friends out there:
Just my thoughts…but perhaps it will help. Wishing you and your friend my best. Celeste
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- August 29, 2015 at 3:02 pm
You are already a good cancer friend…since you went to the trouble to ask the question! I have been asked to answer this question many times. Your post encouraged me to write it down. So…this one is for all the cancer friends out there:
Just my thoughts…but perhaps it will help. Wishing you and your friend my best. Celeste
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- August 29, 2015 at 3:02 pm
You are already a good cancer friend…since you went to the trouble to ask the question! I have been asked to answer this question many times. Your post encouraged me to write it down. So…this one is for all the cancer friends out there:
Just my thoughts…but perhaps it will help. Wishing you and your friend my best. Celeste
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