My mum has died from lung cancer and I’m heartbroken

It’s been nearly 9 months now since my mum lost her battle with small cell lung cancer, no sooner was she diagnosed she was gone, she was also in denial and I could not talk to her or tell her how I felt and I also didn’t get the opportunity to listen to how she felt because she did not want to talk about it and no one could even mention the word cancer to her  so she ended up suffering in silence fearing that she would upset us, I feel so broken and lost without her and the only thing I seem to constantly think about is the horrendous suffering she went through, I tried so hard to help but don’t feel like I did enough for her although everyone disagrees and says I’m beating myself up as I was there everyday but I just can’t help these strong feeling of guilt.

i miss her so much but the only memories I seem to think about are her final months from diagnosis to when she died and it’s causing me so much pain that it’s haunting me and I don’t know what to do, it’s almost like I’m having flashbacks, when she passed I did not cry and carried on as normal for my daughter and I think I’ve blocked everything and caused myself more problems by doing so because it keeps popping back into my mind randomly. Seeing and caring for someone you love with cancer is the worst thing ever and those feeling of hopelessness are so painful, everybody just expects you to be over it now and life goes on but I feel like it’s only just hit me now after 9 months and I have nobody who understands what I’m going through and I feel so lost.

Parents
  • Hi Josie...

    Bless ya ... it looks like your heartbroken ... and loosing a parent is the second hardest thing we have to go through in our lives ...

    Now, your not alone ... so many feel they need to not "talk about it" it's not your fault .. it's your brain trying not to face the future ... it's like if it's not talked about it won't happen ... you were all trying to be brave for everyone else ... but the reality is, that leaves things unsaid and deep regret ... but you did at the time, the only thing you could do ...

    If i were you I'd write her a letter and tell her all what's in your heart ... it isn't an easy thing to do ... but when you've written it, go to a safe place and burn it ... I believe that is the post box to heaven .... 

    I bet your mum's looking down, and her heart aches to see you feeling guilty ... l bet she'd say .. it's o.k .. and I bet she's proud of you ... we all have regrets ... we all wish we could turn the clock back ... 

    I have one son who doesn't want to be with me .. and I've tried many times to reach out .. my worst fear is if this cancer takes me, I'm so scared he'll feel guilty too ... nothing he ever does or says could change my love for him ... and if I hold no bad feelings, I'm sure your mum would be the same .. l still believe in miricals ...

    Cancer wants us to only remember those last days .. it wants to consume your mind till that's all you can see ... it wants to make everyone a victim ... but you know as someone with cancer ... cancer doesn't own our mind even when it takes our body ... I am not cancer .. your mum is not cancer ... she's the mum you had before cancer touched her .. the one who held you when you were born ... the one who took you to school .. the one who watched you grow up, to be her daughter and her friend ..

    Every time those last days creep in .. remember the funniest best memory you have of her ... relieve it slowly in your head remember every word .. how it made you feel ... over and over till it pushes the bad memories away ... and remember she's still with you, tucked up safely in your heart ... you are half of her .. she will see through your eyes ... your mum's already forgiven unsaid things .. now its time you forgive your self ...

    Don't cry because you loose someone .. smile because you were blessed to have had them in your life .. and once you start remembering the good memories ... you'll be sticking two fingers up to cancer ... that's what I do ... don't let it take those wonderful memories away ... 

    Sending you a vertual hug... Chrissie...

  • Thankyou for your lovely reply, so sorry to hear about your cancer, sending lots of love your way and hope your  feeling ok. Feel really bad being so upset today and hearing your reply has been a big help to remind me to be strong. My mum had a similar problem with my sister who did not come and see her though her battle with cancer and what your saying is true because no matter how upset I was about it my mum understood and still loved her the same, it too worried me that my sister would end up feeling the worst guilt but you can’t control other people’s reactions I suppose. You sound like a very strong woman and I hope you are okay and have a good support system around you, your kind words have been very helpful and I Thankyou for your response and hope you beat this horrendous disease. 

    Lots of love and hugs

    joanne.

  • Hi Josiexxx,

    im sooo sorry to hear about your mum, by the sounds of it, she was very special to you and you adored her.

    I completely understand what your going through, I lost my dad to small cell lung cancer in December and it’s been very hard, he was my best friend and we were like two peas in a pod. Seeing someone you love die from cancer is something I will never forgot, the feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. My dad never complained and even close to the end, he was still asking about when he could get his next chemo. He tried everything they offered, he just wasn’t ready to go and I think that’s what makes it sooo much harder, he was a complete fighter til the very end. People who haven’t gone through this expect us to go back to normal after a couple of weeks, I miss my dad every day, he’s the last thing I think about before I sleep and the first thing I think about in the morning. I still feel like I’ll walk into the house and see him sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea, I used to rush home from work so we’d have tea together and out of routine I still rush home, but he’s not there waiting for me. Luckily, my job allowed me time off to spend with my dad as work got too much for me, so I got to spend 2 1/2 months with me dad from morning til night.

    the best thing I can suggest is to do something to honour your moms memory, for me I choose to follow my dads love of music and have began guitar lessons, playing with my dads first guitar, I know he would Be proud but it’s tough not having him there to cheer me on or to teach me a few tricks of the trade.

    buttt... music is great for the head and I plan on doing things in the future that will honour his memory and connect us still after his death. 

     

    Nikkib23

Reply
  • Hi Josiexxx,

    im sooo sorry to hear about your mum, by the sounds of it, she was very special to you and you adored her.

    I completely understand what your going through, I lost my dad to small cell lung cancer in December and it’s been very hard, he was my best friend and we were like two peas in a pod. Seeing someone you love die from cancer is something I will never forgot, the feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. My dad never complained and even close to the end, he was still asking about when he could get his next chemo. He tried everything they offered, he just wasn’t ready to go and I think that’s what makes it sooo much harder, he was a complete fighter til the very end. People who haven’t gone through this expect us to go back to normal after a couple of weeks, I miss my dad every day, he’s the last thing I think about before I sleep and the first thing I think about in the morning. I still feel like I’ll walk into the house and see him sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea, I used to rush home from work so we’d have tea together and out of routine I still rush home, but he’s not there waiting for me. Luckily, my job allowed me time off to spend with my dad as work got too much for me, so I got to spend 2 1/2 months with me dad from morning til night.

    the best thing I can suggest is to do something to honour your moms memory, for me I choose to follow my dads love of music and have began guitar lessons, playing with my dads first guitar, I know he would Be proud but it’s tough not having him there to cheer me on or to teach me a few tricks of the trade.

    buttt... music is great for the head and I plan on doing things in the future that will honour his memory and connect us still after his death. 

     

    Nikkib23

Children
  • your lovely dad sounds just like my mum did, really didn’t want to leave us but had no choice due to the cancer they both had, I’m so devastated and I’m so sorry that your going through the same thing as I am. It’s very traumatising but hopefully your music will get you through this sad time and your dad Will be looking down on you just like I believe my mum does on me, guiding you through this *** situation, Thank you for your comment it really means a lot to me.xxx