So many emotions

My Beautiful Mum is currently in hospital for the fourth time in six weeks , she was diagnosed with bone cancer in Nov 2015 and recently in May with mestates of the meninges which had apparently arose from the breast cancer she had 4 and a half years ago .  I feel very angry and very bitter at the sheer unfairness of this cruel disease you see my Mum was diagnosed ten years ago with acute myeloid leukaemia and fought like a Trojan , received  a  successful bone marrow transplant from her brother and got better after approx two years in and out of hospital , many times in isolation after numerous infections but her will to live remained strong . Sadly she then got bowel cancer , another fight , then breast cancer another fight she was determined to win . When last Nov the bone cancer was diagnosed she was told it was uncurable ,all the fight she showed with the last cancers went with the word uncurable . She received chemo to slow down the progression which again made her wiped out , suddenly she complained of fuzziness in her head and a feeling of being spaced out , she would get confused have limited movement etc , over the last couple of months I've seen my beautiful courageous Mum become more depressed and forlorn and all hope she had diminished . When the meninges was diagnosed she decided to take the radiotherapy offered as she couldn't continue the chemo until some of the symptoms of the meninges were taken care of . So now six weeks after the radiotherapy Mum is too poorly to restart the chemo for the bone cancer . As a family we are in a nightmare we can't seem to wake up from. 

On Thursday Mum had an episode , she couldn't focus she started muttering , no sense of her surroundings and sadly couldn't remember who my Dad was or any of her three children , absolutely heartbreaking .  

So now where are we up to well thankfully Mum can't remember much of Thursday only the sound of the sirens on the ambulance that brought her to hospital . She is still coherent some of the time , she is very poorly they tell us but she remembers who we are now thankfully . The doctors tell us she as pnemonia and she is being treated with antibiotics . W sit by her bed watching her sleep , my Dad rarely leaves her side , they have been married nearly 55 years , and as their daughter I feel helpless. Not only is Mum a constant worry but I worry over my Dad and he's well being also  . I am extremely lucky that I have such a fabulous family and a very supportive husband but I feel very alone . I feel that I want to be at Mums side continuously but emotionally I'm drained , I feel I've been grieving for Mum since last Nov . My emotions turn in seconds from anger to bitterness , to sorrow to sheer desperation . 

  • Hi Maxine, 

    I just wanted to offer my support. I read your message and it saddens me to hear that your mom is not doing well now. I can relate in some ways, as my dad was just diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer last month. I have cried this past month more than I ever have. I have been angry, desprate, depressed. I think you are doing everything you can to make your mother comfortable and she knows that you love her. It's a terrible feeling knowing that we can't really do anything to help our parents. Cancer is a terrible disease that robs us of our tomorrow's, but we just have to try to live in the moment and try to cherish every moment we have left. I've not been able to understand why something like this would happen and I haven't really experienced a whole lot of death yet, as i'm only 26, but it has made me realize how precious the relationships in my life are. I know there's not really anything I can say to make you feel better, but just wanted you to know that you aren't alone. If you ever need to talk, always feel free to come here and talk. Sending my thoughts your way. 

  • I am very sorry to hear of your situation. I can relate to what you said since I just lost my buddy, my dad, on July 6, 2016, to pancrearic cancer. Its a very sad and draining process, like you said. You take every day and hour as it comes. Just maintain what you are doing, providing support and love for your mum and dad. Be there with her as this is very comforting to her. Maintain a strong faith in the Lord and place your worries with Him since, ultimately, He is in control, not us as we would like to think. God's blessings be with you.

  • So sorry for what your going throw me to words can't explain on here it's so hard my mums terminal I can see her going loseing faith x

  • Sorry your messages so mean a lot feel like can't explain how feel sometimes I'm looking after her to get better but she's not I'm so scared don't want to say goodbye x

  • Hello Caitlin and Maxine; I read your messages and my heart goes out to you both. One thing that was stated by Maxine, I believe, was she was scared to say goodbye and this resonated with me. As I stated before in this forum, I lost my Dad on July 6 this year, and I never had a true "goodbye" with my dad. I was also very uncomfortable bringing up the subject of death as I didn't want to upset my dad in his condition. My dad internalized a lot and had a very difficult time showing emotions. This compounded matters. My strong suggestion is to have your final goodbye, in private, one on one, with your dad and mum. I think it only helps matters in the moment and beyond. God bless!
  • Thank you for your replies everyone . Where to start , since my original post my beautiful courageous Mum passed away . The doctors said on Mon 14/8 that there was nothing more they could do and sadly Mum was leaving us , myself my sister and my Dad stayed with Mum constantly from the Sun morning til the early hours of the Wed morning of the 17/8 when she took her last breath . Thankfully she was very peaceful and we were all with her , I like to think she knew she wasn't alone . Mums passing as affected me in a way I could never have imagined . 

    It was also my eldest sons 30 th birthday the same day which couldn't be helped , the day of Mums passing is a total blur . Nothing could have prepared me for  sense of sheer loss I have felt since that day . I kept busy attending every meeting with the undertaker etc at  Dads side , to ensure we gave Mum the best send off possible . 

    I found Mums funeral totally exhausting but happy that her wishes were carried out . 

    Its 2 and a half weeks since Mum gained her Angel wings and I find myself reliving her last week constantly . I'm finding it difficult to even put one foot in front of the other . I can't sleep , when  do I'm having horrendous nightmares . I'm crying constantly and being harsh on myself for doing so .

    I knew eventually we would lose Mum to this horrible disease but I totally was unprepared for how things could escalate so much in a week . 

    i get scared that I'm also going to lose my beloved Dad who just seems so lost without Mum , I know he needs to grieve and be on his own but I feel I need to protect him . The only time I feel some comfort is when I'm in the company of my Dad my sister and my brother , I also feel as the oldest sibling I'm expected to sort things ..

    i have a very good job which I love but can't see that I could carry it out as I should do at the moment .

     

  • Just read your post. I can relate to your emotions and feelings after losing your mom. I can say in my case after losing my dad on July 6th, 2016, as time has passed even in a few weeks time, the pain has lessened. I don't believe you will fully get over the loss of a close family member, but as time goes on, the pain and grief subsides. 

    I do believe, due to the extreme symptoms you are having, you should seek your family physician's advice to help you get better. You have to watch yourself so that you stay strong for yourself and family around you. Stay well.