Friends and families have a hard time adapting to the diagnosis. They may have to cope with amplified responsibilities while trying to manage several different emotions. Family and personal values are questioned and priorities are tested and changed. Some family members may not feel comfortable openly discussing their feelings. Other family members may avoid the person with cancer because they feel as if they have nothing to offer, do not know how to act, or feel they cannot do anything to help make the situation better. These factors can all make families more distant at a time when they need to pull together. My family struggled with these things as well as my brothers "other family." A close family friend, John Rodriguez, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma back in 2014. My brother, Jonathan, was directly impacted when the news broke. This man is the only father figure in his life, and now he is sick. I asked the simple question "Are you okay?" and suddenly my brother collapsed to his knees, sobbing in distress. He looked as his whole world was crashing down in flames. In relation to Jonathan, John's immediate family did not take the news well. These past two years they have grown apart, but they are currently attending family counseling similar to my family. Through counseling members can learn to deal with changes within the family and discuss their feelings more comfortably. "Understanding the potential changes in the way you relate to specific family members and friends may help you take steps to foster healthy, mutually supportive relationships during this challenging time" (Family Life). It is a process but speaking from experience, it will gradually start to get better if people put the forth the effort. .
Having cancer or any other forms of terminal illness teaches valuable lessons about life. A friend of my mothers, who is a physician, was diagnosed with sarcoma three years ago.
