Coping with Loss of Wife,Best Friend and Soul Mate

Hi, 

I have been with my beautiful wife for 30 years, and we have 3 beautiful teenage daughters.

My wife has been fighting breast cancer since 2009, with numerous Chemotherapies, natural rememdies, surgery and radiotheraphy - after 4/5 years she was in reammission, and then 9 months later in 2015 it came back harder and faster - she has daily lung drains, and was put on various chemotheraphy drugs and in April 2017 she was deemed stage 4 as it had spread to her spine, liver, kidney, both breasts, neck etc - We thought the worse.

I took 9 months off from work to care for my wife, and in that time I studied Chemotherapy treatments, wrote to Pharmecetical firms, and went through weekly blood results in order to do anything I could to save my beloved wifes life.

With my research I was also able to push the Oncologists and talk to them on a 1-2-1 level (even my wife said it was like 2 Oncologists where in the room !) - and I was the one who discovered why my wife had rejected the Chemotherapy in the first place due to her Albumin levels where very low.

Armed with Blood results every week, checking white cells, B12, Albumin I was able to tailor my wifes diet and she was able to have the chemotheraphy week on week.

Working together we managed to keep her alive for another 9 months, however sadly it caught up with her and she died in December 2017 just after Christmas.

Althought this is still very raw, I miss her every day, and have 3-4 breakdowns a day, constant crying, longing, and yearning for my wife - I wear her perfume and jewellery and still sleep with her dressing gown and have kept the house exactly as she left it so ther are no changes "when she returns home"

In 30 years we were together, we were only away from each other for 2 weeks, and we were more than Husband and Wife, she was my soul mate, best friend, we were a unit, we held hands, told each other we loved each other everyday, and I wanted no one else - she was my everything and the only thing in my life I was ever afraid of losing.

I still cry in pain that this could happen to someone so beautiful, and I have had the phases of grief doubt, and anger.

I hate the cliches, "be strong for the children" but how can I when I am not strong for myself, and the girls are teenagers, they are in their rooms talking to their friends, or boyfriends, and I am left on my own - the girls will grow up and I will walk the rest of my time on this earth without my beloved.

I particularly like the "it will get better after the funeral" this I can tell you is ********* ! it has got worse - I have more crying breakdowns, even when I go to places that me and my wife visited I hyper ventilate and freeze on the spot.

Yes I have couselling, but everyday the pain intesifies as does the emptiness and hollowness inside.

I am told I did all I could for my beautiful wife, and I would give everything I own just to have her back with me again.

I wanted to share my story, with others and I read a statistic once that said "75 men a day under the age of 50 are made widowers" and now I am in that statistic.

I am finding it hard to cope everyday, and it feels like my head is caving in with all the tears and emotions - I assume I am not alone

Simon 

  • Hi mate my wife died on the 22nd of December last year to breast cancer I have a two-year-old and a nine-year-old  To look after the pain is unbearable I love her so much I wanna be with her but the last thing she said to me and made me promise was to look after our children so it looks like I'm staying for the next 40 years at least before I get to see my beautiful wife again To look after the pain is unbearable I love her so much I wanna be with her but the last thing she said to me and made me promise was to look after our children so it looks like I'm staying for the next 40 years at least before I get to see my beautiful wife again like you say your life is turned upside down how will I go or how will I do this would love to hear from you talking to helps 

  • Heyy I am so sorry for what you have been going through 

    Are you okay? 

    Loosing someone you love will take quiet a while to like recover from but if you want to keep your mind off everything go out for a walk, watxh your favourite shows, eat some nice snacks or just do what you like to do

    I'm so sorry for you loss i can't imagine what it's like loosing so much people, In 14 now and my dad died of a brain tumour in 2016, But i was very young so it didn't really affect me as much but i was still very sad 

    I'm sorry if i'm trying to make this about my self i'm just trying to help you i'm still young and i really want to make your happy !!

    You could try and think about the nice times you've had with your bestfriend, Wife or children, or you can go to their favourite places if you are comfortable with that

    If you feel sad or anything or if it's still bothering you don't be afraid to talk to someone i'm always here to help other people and to make them happy again 

    From- Anonymous

     

  • Hi Chris,

    I know what you are going through I was and still am in your shoes, my wife said the same thing about the children and that is something you have to take on board, yes we want to be with our wives, but we must look after the children, and make memories of their mum so they never forget - the first few months/year are pretty ***, I won't lie, and even now I get times when I wish I was with her - but here are some things I have learnt on this Journey and it may or may not help but its a start...

    - Do what you think is right, and grieve how you want to grieve - whatever helps you - I spray a bit of my wifes perfume on my hand as it reminds me of her (must to the distain of some male friends) but I don't care - I do what I want to do to cope.

    - Friends, the phone will stop ringing but you will also have a subset of friends who are there and check in - don't be afraid to tell them how you feel - they can never know unless they have experienced it but use the close nit ones

    - Keep busy, this is the sole thing that has done me, don't rest on laurels, I miss my wife every second of the day, but if I sat down I would cry so I keep myself busy, and with 2 youngsters that shouldn't be hard - try and remain positive for them - I see my wife every day in my daughters and its lovely.

    Here if you need any help or reach out.

    As I said - WAY organisation is really good, and make some good friends...you need that 

     

    Simon 

  • Chris,

    I posted here nearly 2yrs ago when I lost my beautiful Lisa. I can't believe that it's been that long as I never went a day in our 28yrs together without speaking. I have 2 older children but I didn't know what do. I knew I had to be here for them but a part of me wanted to give in.  I know Lisa would be livid with me if I gave in so I've gone and got myself a new job (I cried in the interview when they asked about family)..I train dogs on my days off. I go running with my daughter, anything to keep me occupied. It was difficult to begin with and not a moment of the day doesn't go by where I don't think of her. I put her private plate on my car and kept paying her mobile phone plan so I can call and listen to her voucemail...I still sleep with her dressing gown on the bed next to me..I do loads of things to keep her memory alive that are personal to me and help me. I think what I'm saying is I miss her terribly and it still hurts but it will get easier. I've adjusted to her not being here but I hate it. I'm now in a routine that helps me and my daughter who still struggles with losing what was her best friend. I've had little things happen around the house that make me think she's sending me messages to say she's with us. That gives me some comfort. It's not going to be easy but take your time..don't look forward more than a few days..do what ever you need to do to cope with your loss. Your grief will be different from everybody else's. I'm always happy to chat away from this if necessary. 

    Al

  • Thank you so much all that will help me especially grieve in the way I want to grieve that makes total sense! She was 39 when she died on the eight seems to be a problem to because that's so young we had a whole future planned and obviously that's gone! We often see white feathers falling from the sky right in front of us to pick them up I've had lots of dreams which have been amazing and then of course you wake up but I know she's close even if I can't see her I will love her forever I have made Sure that my grave is with her I've already paid for the spot and one day hopefully One day my name is on her headstone to so we really will be joined together forever

  • Yeah same Chris, her grave has a book on it, and the right page is blank for me - where abouts in the UK do you live ?

  • How can live be so cruel All these people on here have the same story to tell the loved one has died why does it have to be like that why does everyone have to feel this kind of pain when my wife found out she had breast cancer is the date you want to scream and shout why does it have to be you her reply was simply why not me!But I feel I can't do this I love my children more than anything but the way I love my wife seems to be on another level I know she'd kill me if I went to To meet her too soon so I try to focus on the children they are martyne That was my wife's name! In my two boys her legacy lives on which is amazing and I'm honoured that she had children with me! But having said all that I don't like going to bed without herI don't like waking up with out her miss not seeing a have a shower hiding behind the door having a sneaky peak I just miss my old life so much    Thank you for listening 

  •  I'm right down south Southampton! It gives me comfort to know hopefully I'll end up with my wife again on in her grave I know all that stuff sounds morbid but it was something I had to do!  

  • Chris, there is a local WAY group in Southampton, have you tried reaching out to them or I can ask who your co-ordinator is ?

  • Is there ? I had no idea  I've heard about way something like that would be perfect for me and the kids after all this lockdown crap!  I have no idea who the person is i'm not even sure how I would get into contact with anyone like that I'm not really that good with computers. Are you local then?