DEAR DEIDRE: WHEN I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I felt extremely anxious.
Although I’d been told it was treatable, the waiting list for the operation I needed to remove my prostate was over six months long. I wanted it over with, so I could get on with my life.
I’m 60 and fortunately, my cancer was caught early.
I wrote to you because I didn’t know who else to talk to. I didn’t want to bother my wife, 59, who was already worried about me.
You were so helpful. You suggested I contact the Prostate Cancer charity for information and advice from cancer nurses (prostatecanceruk.org, tel: 0800 074 8383).
And you also recommended I get in touch with Macmillan Cancer Support (macmillan.org.uk, tel: 0808 808 0000) for emotional support.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20type%3D%22text%2Fjavascript%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.formstack.com%2Fforms%2Fjs.php%2Fdear_deidre_problem%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E%3Cnoscript%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.formstack.com%2Fforms%2Fdear_deidre_problem%22%20title%3D%22Online%20Form%22%3EOnline%20Form%20-%20Dear%20Deidre%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fnoscript%3E%0A” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]You gave me your Cancer support pack and reassured me that if I got busy with my interests, the time till my operation would go quicker.
A year on, I have had the operation and it was successful. I am now cancer free.
You were right, Deidre, once I stopped focusing on the date of the operation, I did feel less anxious.
Thank you for your support, which meant so much.
[read-more title=”MORE FROM DEAR DEIDRE” article_ids=”32835917,31974721″ shortcode_id=”696bb45b-a5ad-4080-81d5-1b54ef9a201a” /]DEIDRE SAYS: Hearing you’re cancer free is wonderful news.