Haven’t found peace - yet

13/9/16 was the day I questioned everything. Why live to her so close all these years? Why involve her so much in my adult years? Was I a fool? Why didn’t I think? Look what I lost? Have I made this more painful than it should have been ? Well of course the answer was yes. Then came the doubt.....

should I have stopped her giving up chemo? Should I have got her that last course of antibiotics? Should I not have requested that syringe driver? Should I have given up work to be at every appointment. Should I have moved in? Should I have moved her in? Should I have asked to see more scans! Looked at results, insisted on surgery? Kept an eye on her health more!!

then came the sadness

i want my mother back, it’s not fair, she was only 74, I miss her, she didn’t deserve this, I didn’t deserve this, nothing makes me feel ok, nothing makes me feel happy, 

on 13/9/18 it will be two years. I promised my mother I would be strong,become the Matrirch of the family she had been. I am trying very hard to keep that promise. I still talk to her -some days-while driving my car or looking at a robin on the fence. I tell my self when looking at a lovely horizon that “she is just over there waiting” sometimes I can feel one or two hands on my shoulders. At times I sIt still to see if I can feel a hand on my shoulder.  I have had one dream since she left where I walked in her kitchen and she was cooking something. We both acknowledged the reality of it and hugged. I have had a few dreams where she has been just there and woken feeling pleased she was in another one. 

At first you cry all the time, then less and less. People tell you it gets easier. This isn’t quite right Although I can see how it’s worded that way. It gets less hard if that makes sense? Less hard to do things, less hard to think of her,less hard to enjoy a moment, less hard to feel the loss at a family event. 

On the 13/9/18 it will be two years since she left and although the t,h,j and y on the keyboard are all spotted with emotion, I am going to wipe them away, dry my eyes and be the mother to my children that she was x

  • Hello rmn; I don't know if it helps to know that all the things you have described are being experienced by so many others and will be experienced by so many more.  I still "talk" to my mother who died from cancer more than thirty years ago!   I sometimes dream about my mam and dad (dad died from pneumonia a few years later) which is generally pleasant if sad when I wake up.  Doesn't happen that often.  Believe me, I still have regrets but I know they would still love me for the flawed person I am.  My mum was 70 when she died and not so very long before that had been tied up with long-term care for her own mam before she died.  Very sad that she didn't get more time to enjoy the extra time she then had.    Although we know logically that our parents will probably (but not always) die before we do ourselves we cannot prepare ourselves for this.  It is still reassuring to know that my regrets are not uncommon and I thank you for setting out what you are experiencing.  Best wishes.  Annie

  • Hi ime paul you know everyone gets these awfull feelings of guilt with cancer it almost seems that because theres no one to blame we blame ourselves its crazy but i suppose grief is a form of madness it has no lodgic to it so we cant work it out.  It wouldnt mater how many times we went to see our mum or how we looked after them it would never be enough so dont blame yourself i bet you you did everything you could for your mum and the one thing you gave the most important thing is you gave her love and to a parent thats all that counts ime a dad to and that would be good enough for me .the best gift my kids would give me would be to be happy and have a good life nothing else is important only that .iiwould be in dispair if my kids were suffering so see if you can pull yourself up from the dolldroms for your mum you dont have to be like your mum to be the matriach of the family be yourself thats enough best wishs .paul