My 75-year-old MIL, who is showing some mild signs of cognitive impairment, but who is otherwise in excellent health, just informed us that her routine mammogram showed an area of concern.
Last year's mammogram also showed an area of concern which turned out to be nothing. But because she moved to a different state her current radiologist has to wait for her previous radiologist to send last year's results to make compare.
The reason I am posting about this here is because my MIL informed my wife, a breast cancer survivor, about this finding while we are out of the country on a week-long visit to my family, my first to my country of origin in 7 years. We are due to return on Sunday. And my wife is really upset right now, freaked out of her mind that her mom might also have breast cancer and revisiting her own cancer struggle.
I am so upset at my MIL right now. I understand she might have needed to unburden herself, but she has two sisters she is close to could have called. And again we are back in two days. Two days.
And I don't know what to do, if anything, about this. Should I talk to my wife? My MIL? How do I make sure this doesn't happen again? How do I (and should I?) erect some healthy boundaries for myself and my wife? Or do I need to be more compassionate and understanding?
Sorry about this.