Can't believe my stepdad is gone forever

I was there when my stepdad passed from Pancreatic cancer. I was holding his hand. It still doesn't seem real. In fact, it seems less real as time passes. The whole thing seems like a horrible dream. I see him in his coffin in my dreams and wake up like it's a nightmare.

It's been 6 weeks. There are so many things I want to tell him. 

I've been signed off work this week for recurrent strep - my immune system isn't coping. I've never had more than a day off work before. 

Anyone else struggling?

  • Hello Natv; welcome to the forum.  Sorry to learn of your losing your stepdad.  Six weeks is quite a short time and grieving varies from person to person.  Do whatever you need to do to get through it and don't look too far ahead. I have lost both my parents some years ago and I still talk out loud to them.  They are still very much a part of me and my life; when you lose someone you love yes your life does change but you take them into part of your being.  I will say "Mam, this is funny - I know you would laugh" or "Dad, I know you wouldn't approve but never mind" - he was a policeman and quite strict.  Just try it.  I have things that belong to them which I have carried with me through my life which adds to the feeling of continuity.  As we go through life our experiences do become part of us, good and bad, and make us the people we are.  Sadly life is hard sometimes.  If  in the coming weeks you feel that grief counselling might help you you can of course contact for instance Cruse Bereavement Care Tel.0808 808 1677.  I don't know which other family members are close to you but do talk to them and be open about what you are feeling.  Annie

  • Hello Natv. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Stepdad from pancreatic cancer. It's a frightening and destabilizing time. Annieliz's words seem to hold a lot of wisdom. Six weeks is early and I think it's normal to still be reeling. I hope you can carve out the time to process your grief in a way that works for you. And you are right:  your immune system is oviously taking a knock from all the stress so do try and be kind to yourself, no matter what pressures from the rest of the world.

     Are there any bereavement support groups near you? Might be worth a look....

  • Hi i lost my stepdad of 30 years on September 15th 2019 to prostrate and bone cancer he lived 2 years and 2 days after diagnosis his prognosis was 2 years he was 67 i was only 17 When I he met my mum and also feel it's not real I'm finding it so hard to support my mum and feel I can't greive for him after I leave her for the day i just go home and cry as I write this it's only 8 weeks to the day and all I think about is him and so much I want to tell him I miss his voice his face just everything about him he was the most caring man i have ever met he was my mums world and he spoilt her rotten they were inseparable always had a smile on his face I can honestly say I never saw him down even the 2 years with his cancer,  he left a note for mum on his iPad and it has literally broken our hearts and a journal from day of diagnosis to 3 days before he died I have read a couple of days and all.i see is the word PAIN I can't read any more, my health isn't great at the moment I know I haven't been looking after myself and getting bad headaches I feel totally stressed, i hope your pain has eased of loosing your stepdad I just feel at the moment there I no living again DD