Help

Zac was doing well with his recovery; getting physically stronger and able to do more activities.  Personally, I was starting to struggle myself.  Often I would experience low moods, lack the enjoyment I felt I should have when spending time with the children, and would be irritable and quick to snap.  On one occasion I took the boys to a local park to meet up with a friend and her children.  Zac was acting up, running off and not listening; not uncommon for a 3-year-old.  I couldn’t cope and just burst into tears.  My friend helped, we got the kids back to the car and on the walk home we had a good chat.  I decided I would make an appointment to speak with my GP.  There were many occasions during Zac’s treatment that people commented, “Oh, you’re so strong,” or, “you’re coping so well”.  In reality during treatment your brain puts the blinkers on and your sole focus is just getting through that particular stage.  I think once the treatment had finished, and we’d returned home, I started to process everything that had happened over the past 6 months.

I spoke with my GP who was very kind and understanding, and she said I had a lot of symptoms of depression.  We spoke about talking therapies and I agreed to start taking an antidepressant.  Just having this conversation and asking for help made me feel better, it was the beginning of the process in healing my own mind.