If this is any consolation, there is evidence that depression does not cause or worsen cancer.  Your chances of survival are not less than the nondepressed unless you omit treatment due to the depression.  The reason I am saying this is that at least try not to worry about THAT. Don't buy into the mindset that because you have depression you are automatically doomed.  You. Are. Not.

Depression during illness has been written about in psychology literature in the last few years.  It is important that you get treatment for the depression.  Without dealing with that, it will be so much harder to deal with the cancer treatment.

Also, you really need to find a cancer support group and if your hospital provides it, a one-on-one advocate.  You may want a depression support group as well.  These are available online as well.  Our local hospital does provide the one-on-one advocate and a friend of mine has had debilitating depression for decades and got through numerous cancer treatments, successfully.  It is important that your depression be addressed, now more than ever.

My prayers are with you and God bless. You are loved by God and have value.  Never forget that.

Worrying about your depression and the cancer is not going to help.  Your oncologist does not understand depression.   A lot of doctors do not.  Telling a depressive to just "have a good attitude" is like telling a diabetic to will his/her blood sugar.

Plus, my family history consists of some of the most negative folks on the planet.  Most of my mother's family didn't get cancer until their late 80s.  My most seriously depressed aunt didn't get cancer at all and died at 90.  She didn't have high blood pressure either.

Do the best that you can and let that be enough.

 I know what you mean.  I am so tired of being tired.  I am so tired of being sick all the time.  It is so depressing. 

Then last week, I came down with bronchial pneumonia.  I was put on a steriod to help my breathing, but it also reduces my ability to fight off infections, it does this by lowering my immunity.  Sometimes you wonder what these doctors know about our diesease.

I hate MRI's, and have to travel abut 60 miles to get one of the "open ones", next week.  And I live in Michigan where we have a lot of snow and ice.  I hope I am able to make it.  The chemo isn't too bad, but the thought of having to do that for the rest of my life is very depressing.

I love Christmas, and all the work involved with buying gifts, wrapping them, baking cookies and having a friends over.  However, I am no longer able to do the work involved. I haven't even been able to put up a tree.  And it makes me so sad.

Sorry, I am so "down", I pray all of my fellow patients are doing well this Chirsmas.  I Pray for Peace on Earth and Good will to all Men.

(((Hugs)))

One thing a local hospital does for their cancer patients is assign them a volunteer who is a patient advocate.  The advocate will even talk to the doctors when the patient is too ill or anxious to deal with it.  An advocate would put up a Christmas tree for someone.  I really think that if someone wants a tree, they should have one. I would put one  up for you if I were nearby.  My friend's advcate got her house cleaned.  They drove her to chemotherapy. 

I don't know how widespread that program is but it certainly made a difference in my friend's life.  Do any of you have advocates in your community?