Double update 🥳
Ashton
"You're telling me her parents didn't show up?" I questioned Calum after he had just told me. What kind of parents wouldn't say goodbye to their child with cancer who, as horrible as it sounds, they may never see again.
"Yes. She's upset by it but wouldn't talk to me when I tried earlier," Calum told me, and I nodded.
I would expect her to be upset and it does explain part of the 'bad' mood she's in.
"Ok, thanks for letting me know. I'll see what I can do," I said and Calum soon left.
It wasn't long before everyone had arrived and I made my way over to my seat in the circle.
"Morning everyone," I started, smiling at the group "We have a new patient with us today," I said, looking to Megan. "Would you like to introduce yourself."
"I'm Megan," she said quietly "I have Leukaemia."
"Thank you," I said to her before turning to the whole group. "So I'd like to start off with something quite simple. We'll go around the circle and I would like everyone to say one thing they've struggled with since our last session, and one victory you've had or something you've achieved or are proud of. Laura, we'll start with you," I said as she was sat to my right.
"Erm, I'm not sure," she spoke hesitantly.
"That's okay. I didn't give you much time there to come up with anything; I'll come back to you. Does anyone have anything already?" I asked, looking around, seeing Jake put his hand up. "Ok, thank you Jake, go ahead."
"Well, my struggle is that my mum passed away last night," he started and I noticed it caught Megan's attention. She had been completely uninterested until Jake had said that.
I did already know about Jake's mum. That had been the reason I was at the hospital so late last night.
"I am very sorry to hear about your mum," I said "We all know that must be very difficult for you."
"And my victory is..." Jake paused to think "I haven't been under surveillance for the past couple days," he said with a laugh.
"That's good to hear. Let's try and keep it that way," I said, also chuckling slightly.
Jake caught Megan's gaze and she was clearly confused. "I'm a bit of a rebel you could say," Jake explained to her. "I like to sneak out a lot."
Jake certainly did like to sneak out. Michael was his doctor and I swear he didn't know where Jake was half the time. He was never where he was supposed to be, often on the roof.
Megan nodded but didn't say anything back.
"What about you, Megan?" I asked, turning to focus onto her. "What's something you've struggled with so far?"
"Being here," she muttered, looking down, clearly not wanting to be here or the focus of everyone's attention.
"So maybe that could be your victory," I suggested, knowing she wouldn't be very willing to talk on her own as well as her not having been here very long. "Actually coming here today."
"Yeah," Megan agreed quietly, wanting someone else to speak.
I didn't want to make her uncomfortable so I moved on.
The session continued on like usual, though Megan hardly spoke.
She looked a mixture of angry and upset, actually snapping at me and a few of the others when asked a question which I didn't find acceptable. She might not want to be here but most of the others did and I did not want her being rude to them, especially in a place where they are supposed to be safe and supported by their peers.
The session came to a close and everyone got up to leave.
"Megan," I called and she turned to look at me. "Can I speak to you for a moment?" I asked.
She didn't answer but rolled her eyes and walked over to me, sitting down in the chair next to me.
"Megan, I know you're not happy to be here but I really don't appreciate this attitude. Everyone here is here to help you, whether you agree with what they say and do or not."
"I know. I'm not having a good day," she said quietly, looking down at the ground before back up to me.
"Why's that?" I asked gently, though I already knew about her parents.
"My parents didn't come and say goodbye to me this morning," she mumbled, once again looking down, her voice sounding like she was close to tears.
"I'm sorry, Megan."
"Why didn't they come?" She asked, the hurt clear in her voice.
"I'm afraid I can't answer that, but I am sure they had a very good reason."
"I don't think they even love me," Megan said, so quietly I barely heard her.
"I'm sure that's not true, sweetheart. I don't see how they couldn't love you. You're smart, and funny, and beautiful, and kind," I told her, smiling warmly.
"You're just making that up; you've only known me for two days," Megan argued.
"Exactly, and if I already know those things about you, then they must do too."
Megan didn't say anything else, but also didn't move to get up.
"I know today has been hard for you," I started "and I am so proud of you for coming to the session today. But you can't take out your anger, or sadness, or whatever it is you're feeling, on everyone else."
Megan looked up at me, somewhat confused as to where I was going with this.
"I'd like for us to have a one to one session, just so I can get to know you a little bit better and so we can work on you being able to express these feelings in a better way," I told her, slightly wary of her response but not showing that.
"Okay."
