How do I stay strong enough until she leaves?

My mum was diagnosed and has deteriorated within nearly 3 months.  All she had was a headache and yesterday had a syringe driver fitted and I feel like she's gone already.  She's now asleep 99% of the time and incoherent.  She's stopped eating and I need to persuade her to drink a few mouthfuls.  There are no beds at our hospice and a bed was delivered today to support her.  I don't want to leave her.  She always referred to me 'as the brave one' and I'm trying so hard to be.

I'm starting to be snappy with my partner who has been very supportive and I feel like I'm becoming cold to others because any kindness makes me cry and I'm scared to start and my mum seeing.  She needs me and I don't want to scare her.  I was very upset at the initial diagnosis and she said it scared her so I can't.  I don't know what to do?


  • Hi. I'm really sorry that you are having to go through such a difficult experience. There is no right or wrong way to deal with it. If you choose to stay by her side the whole time, it might be difficult not to cry. You are not superhuman, it takes everything not to cry. I had to leave my mothers bed side, because I couldn't take sitting there feeling like I was going to burst into tears, and the doctors and nurses were coming in and out, looking at me, it was awful. She was on the syringe driver, like your mum, and she just slept once she was on it. I didn't feel like she could hear me or was aware of me. So I packed up her stuff, and made it all nice and tidy, and told her that I'd made everyhing look nice the way she liked it. Then I left. I didn't do a tearful farewell, she was sleeping...it felt weird even talking to her.

    Sending you kind wishes and lot's of strength to get through all of this.

    Anyone who knows you and loves you will absolutely understand that you are going through the worst thing in the world right now, and they won't hold it against you. 

  • Thank you for replying.  I'm reading this and replying at 4.12am.  Mum's syringe driver failed at 1.30am.  A lovely out of hours doctor has just left after topping up and fixing the driver.

    When I posted to the forum earlier I was having some time - 20 minutes.  In this time mum had fallen out of bed onto her knees.  I was panicked and struggled with my husband to lift her back into bed.  I'm now 'sleeping' on a sofa pushed right to her bed to stop her falling out / if she tries I can assist.  

    I was sad to read your story it feels a lot similar to mine.  I hope you are working through and have support too.