Mum has a terminal diagnosis, is very ill and in denial.

My mum has had a neuroendocrine tumor that started in her pancreas but has spread everywhere for nearly 7 years. We are now in the end stage of her journey but she is continuing to be in complete denial About what is happening to her. She is in pain, losing weight and has lost mobility and control of her bladder/bowls. She is now going through her second spinal cord compression and is insisting on having radiation so she can walk again. She spends every conversation with me repeating that she wants to live snd that she isn't dying and that god is helping her. Her family are all praying for a miracle and no one is accepting the situation apart from me. I'm an only child and I don't have anyone to help with the burden. She doesn't seem to care at all about the impact of her behaviour on me and my family. I can't cope with the suffering any more, she is in relentless pain and I just wonder what on Earth is coming next. She's force feeding herself because she believes that if she eats she will beat the cancer. She is trying to walk, even though she has been told not to move and then falls over. It's an absolute nightmare to watch and she also hasn't told anyone in her life how ill she is so they are all calling me for information. It's just a really hard situation. She wants me to say that I know she is going to survive and beat this and I just can't say it because she is getting worse every day so she now thinks I'm evil and want her to die. I don't really know how to cope with this. I've looked after her for 7 years and I just can't cope with it all anymore! Help! Any ideas on how to help myself accept what is happening and roll with it even though the suffering is unbearable. Thank you. 

  • Hi there ... so so sorry your going through this heartbraking time at the moment... it must be heartbraking ... but you've done it for 7 years ... and although you can see what the future holds, is it such a bad thing that she thinks she'll get better ... they say hope is the last thing we loose ... so what harm is she doing ... maybe she's scared of dieing ... so holding on is to her , her only hope ..

    I remember my bro in law wanted what he thought was his chemo blood infusion till the last minute ... we just went along with him ... if others ask you you can say the truth, that your mum thinks she'll be o.k ..  I know I just take every day as a bonus ... I wouldn't want to know either ... I'd just give up then .. where as you can hold your mum's hand on this last journey of hers ... let her have hope ... and take every day as a bonus ... when wer gone it's too late to do things differently ... you will always remember this time .. weather you make good memories or sad ones is down to you ...

    My family have always let me decide what and when ... and all we really want is a hand to hold ... just go with the flow ... don't try to get her to admit the future could be short ... some want to know others don't.. so be kind to her and you ... she held your hand when you were tiny ... she taught you to walk ... took you to school and watched you grow from a child to a man ... now it's time to do what you know in your heart .. make this an easier road to walk with her lad ... you can do this ... she may get angry as that's what happens sometimes near the end ... it's not you ... it's what the cancer does ...

    So stop trying to be super man ... now just be the son she needs right now ... Chrissie x

  • Just thought you could be son / daughter ... so whichever is right ... sending you a vertual hug.... Chrissie x