complicated feelings - husband seemed very angry and dismissive of me on the day he passed away

On his last day, my husband seemed very angry and dismissive of me. He did not want any physical contact and waved me away with his hand. The poor man was struggling to breathe so I suppose that might explain matters. We had been together a long time and I wish this had ended differently. I had to leave his bedside for a couple of hours but returned immediately when i received a confused text from him. I arrived just as he took his last breath - finding it hard to forgive myself. It's five months since he died and I find myself with very difficult feelings and have been having repeated nightmares where I just can't get to him. I realise this will pass but it's quite difficult to function properly. Has anyone else had this type of experience?

  • You are greiving and its early days for you, we all have guilty feelings and thoughts of not giving enough attention to our partners. Once the end of life nurses take over we take a step back, nursing a cancer patient is hard for love ones. Time is a great healer. I try to rememer the good times and bloke the bad thoughts/ times out. My husband died a year ago with prostrate cancer.

  • Thank you so much for your kind response, PeridotPoppy, it made me feel so much better. I think, by nature, I want to 'fix' things - some things just can't be fixed and I am coming to accept this. I do have some lovely memories, and we were lucky to have a truly golden interlude after palliative radiotherapy. I'll always be grateful for that.

    I am sorry for your loss.