u/sacredandsalty

I just feel really lonely sometimes. It’ll be four years in October that I’ve been living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and a lot has changed for me during that time.
I walked away from a 12-year relationship. We have two kids together and we coparent. I know he’s not good for me, but I still find myself drawn to that connection sometimes because it’s so hard to find people who can relate to what you’re going through.
I’m in cancer support groups, but I don’t feel like people are necessarily looking for friendship there. It feels more like a place where we come together and talk about what’s going on with cancer and treatment. That has its place, but sometimes I want something more than that. I want a friend.
This year I’ll also be celebrating three years sober from alcohol. When my kids are at their dad’s and I’m home alone, sometimes I find myself wanting to sleep or overeat, just to take away some of the pain of feeling lonely.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually like being by myself sometimes. But there are other times when I just want someone to talk to. Someone who can meet me where I’m at. Positive affirmations can be helpful sometimes, but other times I don’t need someone to make me feel better. I just want to be allowed to feel how I feel. Just let me be. Let me share what I’m feeling without trying to fix it.
I think cancer makes that especially difficult. As soon as you start talking about it, people are confronted with their own mortality, and sometimes they immediately try to make things positive because sitting with the reality of it makes them uncomfortable. I get it.
I’m in therapy. I have a psychiatrist. I’m doing the things I’m supposed to do. This has just been one of the toughest journeys I’ve ever been on, and one of the hardest parts has been how difficult it can be to make genuine connections and find people who are willing to meet me exactly where I am.

Did anyone else see this? It happened on Grosse Ile.

Hi, I live downriver, and I wanted to share this petition. If this is not allowed, please delete. You can also find more information about this issue on the Downriver and Friends group on FB.