A person with Neuroendocrine Cancer fell into a hole and couldn’t get out. As a colleague walked by, the person called out for help, but the colleague yelled back, “Suck it up, dig deep and get on with it” then threw the person a shovel. The person accepted that advice and dug that hole deeper.

A manager went by, and the person called out for help again. The manager shouted down “Use the tools your colleague has given you”, but then threw down a bucket adding to the tools available. The person used the tools to dig the hole deeper still and filled the bucket.

A healthcare professional walked by. The person called, “Help! I can’t get out!” so the healthcare professional gave the person some drugs and said, “Take this it will relieve your issues and you will forget about the hole.” The person said “thanks” and followed this advice, but when the pills ran out the person was still in the hole.

After a while, a Counsellor passed by and heard the person’s cries for help and stopped and asked, “How did you get there? Were you born there? Did someone put you there? Tell me about yourself, it will alleviate any sense of loneliness.” So, the person talked with the Counsellor for an hour, then the Counsellor had to leave, but said there would be another session next month. The person thanked him, although the person was still in the hole and unable to get out.

Later, a fellow Neuroendocrine Cancer patient, just like the person, but stable, happened to be passing by. The person in the hole cried out, “Hey, help me. I’m stuck in this hole!” but this time, something totally different happened ………..  Right away the stable patient jumped down into the hole alongside the person. The person started to panic and said, “What are you doing? Now we’re both stuck down here!” But the other patient just smiled and replied, …… “Calm down. It’s okay. I’ve been here before. I know how to get out.”

Note: This is not an attempt to criticise any person outside of “the hole” or who has helped a Neuroendocrine Cancer patient in a certain way.  But the story above does happen …. frequently.

If you’re stuck in a hole, get in touch with other patients.  Join my group click here or the green button below.

Adapted from a story “A soldier with PTSD fell into a hole” – author unknown.  The ‘hole’ is a metaphor for many problems and the backgrounds and professions of those who passed the hole and conversed with the person are not meant to portray real-life events. I was inspired to convert this text by the sheer amount of support for others in my private Facebook group.