Hi there Paige..  so sorry your mum's on this journey with us ... I'm a grade 3 her2 lady ... and id known i had my lump for two years before it came out ....

and me and my lad was were you are now ...we both had a panic ... And he was texting and phoning all the time, which made me panic more ... l really thought my time was up ... but one day, his Mrs, my daughter in law sat us down and said ... no more panicking,  no more "what ifs" no looking too far ahead .. well take everything a day at a time, and face everything as and when it comes up ... and we'll do it together ...

Well it stoped us feeling so bad .. I started living in the day ... stopped looking ahead ... so did my lad ... and true to her word, they were with me each step of the way ... and they have two little ones too , who I was petrified of leaving ... one is my picture here ... 

Well I'm 8 months post mastectomy. . And I'm still here, writhing to you .... we still have down days and always a tad scared of the future ... but feeling stronger really helped me through ... we talked about everything ... esp feelings ... we've shared hugs, tears, and even a few laughs along the way ... 

It is a rollercoaster ride, ups and downs but there's lots of us on that same ride as your mum ... and you know, with you by her side, she can feel stronger, just knowing your there ... you can both do this together ... you'll always find someone here who knows just how scary those early days are ... but all of us breast ladies are here holding each other up... through good and tough times .. your not alone ...

Big hug to you both ... Chrissie

Hi Paige. I am 21 as well and am dealing with my dad having cancer. I get waht you're going through, but I'm sure it must be harder with a child. I agree with Chriss and Mar1818 with their advice. Take one day at a time because it definitely causes me less anxiety. When I think about the future, I already live my life as if my dad were gone. It's just a waste of the previous time you have with your parent whether they live 5 month or 30 years. Also, like what was said, you don't have to be strong everyday. I did that at first and I was cranky, stressed, and had panic attacks everydyay. I didn't want my dad to see that I was so upset, but when I finally talked to him and cried about it, I felt better and my dad knew how I felt. It's difficult because your parents are suppose to be the ones that comfort you and tell you everything is going to be okay. So when the oles are reversed, it can be a bit much. I do everything for my dad to help relieve him on duties. I clean the house, make him dinner, and make sure he has everything he needs. Also, listen to what your mom has to say. My dad talks about death all the time which makes me very sad and uncomfortable, but he needs to communicate it. With your mom, if she has any worries about treatment or is scared just listen to her and communicate your feelings. I don't think I'll ever be strong enough t deal with my situation, but having hope and being there for your mom is the best thing you can do. Hope everything work sout for the best!