Kristina1
Senior member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2017
- Messages
- 822
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 03/2017
- Country
- US
- State
- MA
- City
- Grafton
Sorry in advance that this is long.
I had Clinic today, and it so happened that at the same time as my visit the local ALS association support group was going on (they meet in the conference room at my ALS Clinic). Since there was a delay between seeing pulmonary and waiting for neuro they asked me if I wanted to sit in the support group and they'd get me when my doctor was ready instead of me just waiting by myself in the exam room. I should add that normally my husband attends with me, but he could not today due to our childcare falling through last minute.
Anyway, I went and sat in on the support group and there was a husband and wife that were CALS (parents of the PALS). They were sharing their grief and the mother was crying. They were talking about how their son, who is very newly diagnosed, doesn't want to talk about the diagnosis. It reminded me of how I am with my parents because it is really hard for me to discuss my disease with them I get too upset. Anyway, I became very emotional listening to them because it made me think about my own parents and I really struggle with the fact that my situation causes so much grief to them and my other loved ones. When the nurse came to get me to see the doctor I couldn't hold it in and cried really hard for a few minutes once I was out of that conference room. I actually had to stop in the hallway and the nurse just held me while I cried.
A part of me thinks it was probably healthy to confront some of those emotions and have a cry. I have not allowed myself to cry since my diagnosis day in early March. But another part of me feels like I never want to attend another support group again because it HURT.
I'm not sure what I am looking for here.. I guess I'm wondering what other PALS think and how you feel about these types of groups and the feelings that come to the surface in that emotional environment.
I had Clinic today, and it so happened that at the same time as my visit the local ALS association support group was going on (they meet in the conference room at my ALS Clinic). Since there was a delay between seeing pulmonary and waiting for neuro they asked me if I wanted to sit in the support group and they'd get me when my doctor was ready instead of me just waiting by myself in the exam room. I should add that normally my husband attends with me, but he could not today due to our childcare falling through last minute.
Anyway, I went and sat in on the support group and there was a husband and wife that were CALS (parents of the PALS). They were sharing their grief and the mother was crying. They were talking about how their son, who is very newly diagnosed, doesn't want to talk about the diagnosis. It reminded me of how I am with my parents because it is really hard for me to discuss my disease with them I get too upset. Anyway, I became very emotional listening to them because it made me think about my own parents and I really struggle with the fact that my situation causes so much grief to them and my other loved ones. When the nurse came to get me to see the doctor I couldn't hold it in and cried really hard for a few minutes once I was out of that conference room. I actually had to stop in the hallway and the nurse just held me while I cried.
A part of me thinks it was probably healthy to confront some of those emotions and have a cry. I have not allowed myself to cry since my diagnosis day in early March. But another part of me feels like I never want to attend another support group again because it HURT.
I'm not sure what I am looking for here.. I guess I'm wondering what other PALS think and how you feel about these types of groups and the feelings that come to the surface in that emotional environment.