Keeping family and friends informed

With chemo brain and everything, I can't even remember some of the good bits, just mostly the bad. I put a sort of diary on my own pc in a file and then after spellcheck etc, I copied it up on this forum and my facebook. I too had a lot of people pm'ing me on Face book but with my latest information on my wall, people got to openly type well wishes and I had less pm's to answer and less phone calls pulling me out of my sick bed. I just left it in my name but others have started their own secret groups to which I subscribe. That way not every acquaintance gets to know your private news.
The file on my pc has been a useful tool to look back on as a sort of diary of the time.

I forgot to mention, @Jo_H 
Before I had my surgery,  I only told the closest family initially, then closest friends, cos I knew I would blub bigtime otherwise when I saw them in the shopping centre (not a good look.)  My uke group (who I was seeing weekly) had to be told - & I told them to NOT be sympathetic but to make me laugh .... and they were terrific.  Being with them & preparing for a big concert 3 weeks after surgery (and not knowing if I would be attending it, as I lead the group!) was a big bonus - it just kept me SO busy! 

After the surgery, the circle widened & I was able to tell them that I was OK, not to worry etc ..... and an awful lot didn't find out til I sent out Xmas cards, 11 months later!!

All the best xxx

At least for now I think it's best to keep only your nearest and dearest in the loop. Many find the responses of others very confusing and hard to handle. There is a way to go yet before you even know yourself what is involved. You definitely don't want to be dealing with other people's fears and anxieties. This is s scary time for most people and right now it's you that matters. But if you find you do want to do a blog, try Wix or Weebly, just Google them and see how you feel about trying them out. No harm in that. Some people find it good to reflect on later. But it's fine to be private for as long as you want to. All the best to you and feel free to come on here any time you need support or info or just a whinge and a moan. We all understand. 

 

I told my immediate family (my 89 year old mother only when I could do
so in person not by phone, she lived interstate) and my work colleagues. The rest took care of itself - my neighbour when I ran into her after getting my very short haircut (turned out she’d had bc ten years earlier) and so forth. Friends when and If appropriate. Most passed the information on but as it was second hand, it didn’t occasion too many well intentioned but repetitious conversations. As I looked well and continued a normal schedule, it was a bit of a nine days wonder which was fine by me. As far as I was concerned, it was neither a secret nor a news event. People will mostly respond to the tone you set, so choose whatever  suits you best. 

My husband had stomach cancer 10 years ago & back then, I found it easier to do group emails to everyone every week or two - and letting them know that I may not get back to every reply.  So when I was diagnosed nearly 2 years ago, it was the easiest way of letting people know my own story - and it also became a bit of a diary of my own progression too.  I just asked that everyone make me laugh - as I am a total sook & would burst into tears at the drop of a hat if I had to keep repeating my story & luckily, most did.  

I found that keeping busy in the meantime is the secret - idle hands & all that - so I kept doing my fishing & ukulele playing - so keep doing what you love doing .... 

take care & all the best xx

I found it too overwhelming at first and asked my husband to tell his family.  I told two very close friends from different friendship groups and asked them to pass on the news, be my conduits and ask people not to contact me.  Once treatment was more certain, my husband set up a blog page while I was in hospital and I wrote on this quite often having given the address to family, friends and colleagues.  I found that worked the best for me.  Even though friends would still ask how I was going when I saw them, they kept up with the nitty gritty of news from the blog and I wasn't repeating things umpteen times.  This meant that they also didn't feel that they needed to contact me all of the time to find out the latest and they could post comments on the blog.  I still put the odd thing up 16 months or so after active treatment ended but I have found now that the blog has become a very personal diary of an extremely difficult year, some of which I can barely remember.

Hi @Jo-H,
Welcome to the forum lovely. 
I guess it depends on how many people you want to give. in depth information to.  Personally, that was my immediate family and one close friend.  I told two people at work, and well, that was the end of that...the whole place knew.  Word travels fast.
There are people who have set up blogs.  I can't help with that as I'm not very techie.  I have another acquaintence who announced everything in detail on FB which I found a bit odd.  It's just personal choice really.  
Some people will be happy if you say you're doing ok, some will probe for more info.  Totally up to you lovely.

xoxoxo