Worried about my surviving parent

We lost mom on 4th March this year after being diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer 8 weeks earlier. This came as a huge shock after thinking she had been cancer free for 13 years. How wrong we were!!!

Dad always reminded me how I only had one mom and that she was my best friend. She truly was. Mom however thought I was a daddy’s girl so I guess I’m lucky to have been close to both.

Dad is devestated. She was only 64 and still employed full time.

He’s probably grieving the way any loving husband would. He doesn’t sleep though and won’t go to the doctors because he doesn’t want medication and he doesn’t want to talk to anyone professionally.

I’ve always worried about losing my parents, I just never thought this day would come yet. I’m 32 and feel so robbed, especially with all my friends still having their moms. I used to wake in the night thinking what will I do when I lose them, and then thought how stupid I was being because they were ok.

Im now worried about losing my dad and how I’ll cope being parentless. When we told people about losing mom, everyone was shocked and said how they thought we were going to say it was my dad! I can’t help worry. When we got diagnosed I was told I was being irrational because I was convinced we would lose her and had pictured the scenarios evolving, which is exactly what happened (even though the doctors said they’d be able to get her through it and manage it) so now I can’t help but worry that I’m going to lose my dad too. He is 71. He doesn’t have a circle of friends (mom was his everything) and no real hobbies (he revolved his life around mom).

I don’t cry all the time, I compare myself to an overflowing water butt. The tears are always close by, but they come out each day at some point to bring the level back down again. 

Sorry about the long post, I think I just needed to let this out. I’m sorry for each of your losses on here and that this horrible disease exists.

  • Hi Taurus

    Im so sorry about the loss of your mum. We lost dad on 15th march he was 71 and my mum is in pretty much the same situation as your dad. She like your dad doesnt have any close friends or hobbies. At the moment she gets up early goes to bed early and just sits around a lot. I am very worried about her hoping she is not losing the will to live. It is early days but its very hard especially when you are trying to manage your own grief. I was calling mum pretty much every couple hours to break the day up but i went back to work on wednesday so am not able to do that and i think its hitting her harder now. She has a part time job which she is due to go back to 2 days a week in a couple of weeks so i am hoping this will break things up for her. Im sorry i cant be of any real help i just wanted you to know that you are not alone there are people going through exactly the same thing. Im sure there will be others along who will offer some practical advise soon. In the meantime im thinking of you and just try and make you dad feel as loved and not alone as you can. And look after yourself too xx

  • Hi so sorry you lost your dad i was in the same situation as your mum ime a guy but you know our age group are pretty tough so  worry yes just keep your  eye on her she needs to be on her own a bit because but not all the time just make sure she eats you tend to loose your appatite if you dont drink enough that makes you feel worse .you said now you back at work you cant ring all the time but a call on a morning and last thing at night is a lifeline trust me on that one because thats when it hits the most if your mum stops looking after herself then a trip to gps . Anything that interupts the loneliness bereavement counciling groups cafes walks in nature for a while all i i d was get up and watch dvds but slowly i came out of it its a year now and it still hurts ime funtioning time you see but you have to do something with that time or you just stay the same .of course dont donget your suffering to and you need to look after yourself and these thing aply to you to so once again my deepest sypathys .ps perhaps let your mum look on this site two sometimes feeling otheres are the same can be a comfort and ground her a bit .paul