Loss of an adult child

I lost my beautiful kind and talented daughter to stomach cancer at the age of 26 in October 2014. I see so many posts from people who have lost parents and partners to cancer but nothing from bereaved parents. I am struggling to cope with my grief I have two other daughters who need me to be strong I am divorced and am supporting a male friend who has just had his third liver resection for secondary bowel cancer. I have days like today when I can't eat or get out of bed but I have to work full time as a primary school teacher to support myself. I would love to hear from other bereaved parents who know what I am going through

  • Hi Wendy ... Oh my , in my eyes there's no pain worse on this Earth then loosing your baby ... My baby (36) got diabetes at 14 and come so close over the years to loosing him ... I still get flashbacks and every day I'm thinking and praying he keeps safe ...

    I don't know if l could get through loosing him .. but pray I'd still have part of him in his babies and brother ... When you look at your other two daughters they will have a part of her in them and l believe your daughter would want her mum to carry on for them ... Listen to your heart and hear the words she would say to you ... You knew her better then any one ... 

    I found this in my late mums keep sake book when I was feeling lost ... 

    I send you butterfly kisses... Though you don't know I'm there ....but it's me peeking round the courier ...or touching a strand of your hair ....  She will live in your heart forever ... My mum loved to see people laugh and her eyes showed how much she cared ... I bet your daughter would say go on mum , I'm right here beside you ... Sending you a big big hug chrisie

  • Finleynan, I hope you are managing as best can be expected. I can’t tell you how much I understand your anguish and misery. My precious, daughter and soulmate died from Cancer this year on January 15th. She too was told that her symptoms could not possibly be colorectal cancer bc she was so young. That misdiagnosis ended up killing her . By the time the cancer was discovered it had spread. I too have no heard from my son in law since the day we buried Caroline age 27. I spent the last 3 years with them taking care of their dogs who i miss terribly and of course Caroline. I don’t know why he won’t answer my texts or calls. It makes this whole situation so much worse. Those infections that aggressively pop up are devastating. I’m certain you had nothing to do with your precious child developing it. She may very well picked it up in the hospital. I pray your ex son in law has some sense of decency and allows you time with your Grandson. Parents don’t realize how important grandparents are to a child’s life. Especially a child who has been through such a terrible trauma. I will also pray for you. I am still feeling th same intense pain and disbelief that you are feeling. It’s more profoundly heartbreaking than words can express. I still have days where i truly wished God had taken me with Caroline. Instead would have been best. Godspeed Finleynan and take a tiny bit of comfort knowing you are so not alone in your pain.
  • Hi 

    i hope you don’t mind me commenting; I am sorry about your daughter. 

    My daughter is 34, she was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and has learning difficulties. She is the happiest and most loved/loving person in the world. 

    Two years ago she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she had a total hysterectomy and in December 2017 we were told that chances of recurring was much reduced. 

    Two weeks ago we were told the cancer is back. She has it in her stomach and pelvis. Due to her other problems there is no treatment; she has weeks/maybe months left. They put her on steroids and she appears very well. I have been really bad today, I’m struggling and guess I just wanted to contact someone who knows what I mean. 

    x

  • hi wendy my sister is struggeling too she is struggerling to find anyone that has lost their daughter to cancer as well gemma was 36 and we lost her last year and now our mum has just died she is having councling but i know that when i lost my son he was stillbirn it was so helpful to find someone else also that went through the same thing ? x

  •                       MY CHILD ....

    I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK ....... AND THEN WAY FAR BEOND ....       

    WITHOUT YOU HERE TO GIVE ME LIFE .......MY HEART DOES NOT GO ON ....

    FOR YOU MY CHILD, WERE LIFE TO ME ......the song within my soul ....

    Without you I am empty .... A half that once was whole ....

    No matter where you are my child ... Just know you'll always be ....

    As close as my next heartbeat  .......for your heart resides in me ...

    I'll always be your mother .....you'll always be my child ...

    For in my heart , I keep your love ... And one day we'll meet again ...

    . Forever our babies  ....   

  • My name is Charlotte.  My son has not passed yet, but it's coming soon. He is my baby of 3 children and will turn 26 on Thursday.  I always play a strong part, but daily I am falling apart. He is so thin his once muscular frame of 215lbs now is that of a small child. His body and eyes are dark yellow.  He hurts and lays down now most of his days. He barely eats. It is all so heartbreaking I just want to fix him and I cant..... I wonder obsessively every day, how much time do we have left. Its so hard to sleep or rat. I feel guilty to do either because he is suffering so. I just hate this 

  • Hi i read all the posts from everyone and was so touched i lost a grandchild and my parner liz she was misdiagnosed finaly when she had her first chemo monday on friday morning had a major stroke leaving her parilized and barely able to talk she contracted sepsis and died 4 am sunday morning what made me reply to your post you mentioned you causing infection trust me you didnt i checked lizs temp twice a day no warning at all the specialist said he had seen people go in 8 hours cancer and chemo etc it flattens your immunity so infections run riot and you know we have bugs up aur noses on our skin in our mouths that normaly dont bother us but when we get weak they all of a sudden get in our blood streams and round they go damaging our organs allso just regurgitating a bit of food a cough and it goes into your lungs so take heart in the fact that theres no blame on you as i said i felt that guilt till i studied it and realised it was nothing i did or in your case you did. i felt that pain to did i do enough i should have done that guilt seems to go with grief and it realy hurts i blamed myself two that i couldnt save liz because she trusted me but if drs cant how can we .so best wishs to you .paul

  • Hi Jeannie

    I also lost my daughter to Lymphoma in March 2017. She was my eldest daughter, my best friend, my favourite travelling companion and a truly lovely person. She was 52 and had endured so many procedures, trials and treatments. She left behind 3 wonderful boys who are her amazing legacy but I see her in so many of their mannerisms which many would find comforting but tears me apart.

    I look for signs that she is around still but the truth is that she is gone and I will never talk to her, kiss her, hug her and see that wonderful smile ever again. She loved and lived life to the full, was interested in everything and everyone and never said ' Why me?'

    She was one of lifes radiators and I am asking now WHY HER?

    We are all living a kind of life now. Trying to fill our days, to smile when we meet someone and cover up the pain. People think that after 18 months you have had time to adjust and grieve but tears are just below the surface and I don't think that will ever change. I MISS HER XX

  • Hello, I think I know how you feel. I am so sorry for your loss. I too just lost my adult child. The age of our children who die doesn't lesson the pain, these are still our children. 

    My son was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor at 2 years old. He underwent radiation and chemo. My son is 38 years old now and on his birthday of July 27th he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme grade 4, and had 6 weeks of radiation and chemo. Due to his already fragile condition from his first surgery, he was very small in stature and weight only 82lbs, his little body quickly became very week and my son past away on December 9th 2018. He stopped talking, eating, drinking, for 9 days, and then one morning he stopped breathing. 

    I live in  AZ near my other children. I have 2 adult daughters and a 16 year old still at home. My son, the eldest, lived with my elderly parents in CA and my son  lived with them for the past 18 years, and to them, they have lost a child not just an adult grandson.

    I left my home for 4 months to care for my son. I used all my paid time off along with 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA. I raised some money through a *** page to help me out and my folks helped me as well. If it weren't for them I wouldn't have been able to care for my boy till the end. 

    So I understand how it feels to worry about how your going to make ends meat and still care for yourself and your sick child, and not go insane, while still being strong for your other children, and your sick friend. It's a lot! I feel like I was in a tornado and the only one that didn't survive was my son, now i'm left with trying to pick up the pieces of this once perfect puzzle. I haven't really been able to grieve and I need to go back to work. I feel numb.

    My heart goes out to you and your family. I pray you find peace.