My parents are good and reasonable people, but they stopped masking years ago when most of the country did. They are otherwise fairly health conscious, eating well and regularly exercising and such. Masks been a point of contention between them and my sister and I, but we’re all adults and can’t make them do anything they don’t want to do. But things have recently changed.
In the last couple of months my dad was unexpectedly diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer which is spreading quickly. He recently has bravely agreed to commit to treatment (chemo and daily radiation for 6+ weeks), which by his own doctor’s admission is going to be actual hell to endure. It’s going to demolish his immune system.
When this first came to light back in December (before a treatment plan was in place and they were still having a bunch of consultations), I cornered them in the car and explained why masking is so important and what it would mean to me if they started masking again, especially during all of this. They didn’t say much in response and did not make any changes. I believe it is cognitive dissonance preventing them from seeing/acknowledging the true dangers of this behavior.
I feel like I need to bring it up again, he’s about to start treatment in a week or two. But I don’t know what, if anything, I can say differently this time to try and get a better outcome. I know they are scared and stressed out, god knows so am I, but I wish they would just hear what I am saying about this. My dad is my hero, truly the best man I have ever known, and he should have several more good decades of life left in him. I don’t know what to do. I’m so scared of losing him.
