A woman with cancer is struggling with the decision to keep her diagnosis hidden from her 100-year-old mother. The daughter, who has a family history of cancer, recently received her diagnosis but has chosen not to share the news with her mother due to concerns about burdening her.

The daughter’s mother is frail but still has her faculties, and the daughter is worried about the potential impact of the news on her mother’s health. The daughter has shared her diagnosis with her children and husband, but is unsure about how to approach the situation with her mother.

A Delicate Situation

Advice columnist Dear Abby suggests that the daughter should be honest with her mother about her condition, but does not need to use the word ‘cancer’ unless her mother inquires further. Dear Abby advises the daughter to tell her mother that she loves her and would help her if she could, but her doctor has advised against traveling at this time due to a low immune system.

The daughter is also dealing with feelings of guilt and condemnation from her mother and cousins, who are unaware of her diagnosis. The daughter is struggling to balance her desire to be with her mother with the need to protect her from the potentially distressing news.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.