Regrets

Its been 10 months since my beautiful mum passed away and reading some of the new/recent posts here, breaks my heart as I can understand a little of what people are going through. Does it get easier, yes and no is my answer, the uncontrollable crying stops and I speak about my mum every day, whether to family or non-family members without breaking down, that is only in private now as generally people outside the family expect you to have moved on.

I am not sure if anybody feels the same but the hardest feelings are those where I feel I should have done more, seen mum more. I have taken early retirement, the councellor said I was addicted to work and even my brother said I put it first; I remember dropping off some groceries to mum and dad's and seeing mum in the kitchen, I can hear myself saying " can't stop mum, really busy at work" and silly as it sounds, that breaks me. The blood cancer was the cause of mum's death although Mum had Alzheimers for around the last 5 years of her life, I could have spent more time with mum, but somehow work was always so busy; I will always regret that. The fact that I can't see or speak to mum now, or looking at some old video's from Christmas's past, when she was so full of life and happy makes me feel worse. I had the best mum and I am spending so much time with dad now, I joked that he would get fed up of seeing me....we have days out but there is always someone missing.

How do you come to terms with the feelings of regret, knowing that I cannot tell mum how so very sorry I am, how I would do anything just to have her here now. Somebody said grief is selfish as we're only thinking about our own feelings, maybe there's some truth in that but I just find it so hard to accept that mum isn't here. The world is just not right without mum in it. I said to my husband, why do we not appreciate what we have at the time? The plan was to retire and spend more time with mum and dad, why didn't I do it sooner.

  • Hi Linda,

     

    I am 48 and my mum died suddenly on the 14th June. I have spent the last 6 weeks in a daze and constantly crying.i am barely functioning and have no idea how I will get through losing her.

    Mum was 74 and in good health until she had routine surgery on the 13th june. For an unknown reason she suffered a major brain haemorrhage 15 minutes after surgery and never woke up again.

    Mum moved in with my partner and I a year ago, we did everything together, she did all my childcare while I worked and was my absolute best friend.she wanted for nothing. The reason I am telling you this is because I spend all day with regrets. Why didnt I notice she was ill? Why did I let her do my washing and ironing why u worked? Why was I always topping up her wine glass and encouraging her to drink too much? Did I take away her independence by getting her to sell her house and move in with me? Would she still be alive if she still had her own home? Did I stress too much and cause her weak vessels in her brain which led to her brain hemorrhage?

    The point is that regrets and guilt are a big part of grief.your mum knew you loved her but you also had your life to live. If I didnt work alot I would not have had the money to buy a house large enough for mum to live with us and have round the clock company with no worries or responsibilities. You also worked hard for your own reasons and cant always stop 'just incase'

    We just have to accept that we cant change the past but live for today. I know this is going to be difficult but we just have to.

    When my dad died suddenly 20 years ago he was just about to retire having worked so hard.he never got to do that but I threw myself into giving my mum a good life.

     

  • I completely understand what you are saying about grief being selfish as I am so full of sadness that I’ll neber see or talk to her again. My mom passed last Sunday and it’s her funeral on Thursday 

    when you mentioned regrets it got me thinking and looking back now she was really tired for a few weeks before she became ill and I regret not realising that was a symptom of the lung cancer as it was quickly spreading through her body. If I had said something and made her see the doctor about it would it have made a difference?realistically probably not as the cancer had spread everywhere but I do now think what if. I darent mention that to my dad as I don’t think he could deal with the idea we ignored something. But even the doctors were shocked by how bad the cancer was as she literally didn’t have any of the normal symptoms. So I suppose I shouldn’t dwell on that and you shouldn’t either. 

    I would literally give anything to talk to her now. She was only 63 and I’m 38 but feel like a little lost girl right now. The most painful thing is she hated having her photo taken so have very few pictures and one little video of her voice. I do really regret not taking more pictures of her beautiful face 

    lucy

  • Hi Lucy,

     

    Looking back my mum was tired for many months and I feel awful for not noticing, but my mum also suffered with rheumatoid arthritis for just over a year and we put all her symptoms down to that.she was on methotraxte which is also given to cancer sufferers.

    At the end of they day we arent doctors and we didnt have the ability to see into their bodies.surgeons operated on my mum even though she must have had a weak blood vessel which caused a major brain bleed.

    In terms of photos,you are right.i only have a couple of my mum this last year. Such a shame. My mum also hated her photo being taken and yet she was very photogenic.

    All the best for tomorrow. You will get through the day as you will be surrounded by friends and family x

     

  • Hi C1971,

    Thank you for your kind reply; I am very sorry to read that your mum passed away and so recently, I understand some of how you will be feeling, it is so hard, the hardest thing I think we will ever go through, the loss of a parent and I was sad to read about your dad too. I wish I had words of wisdom to help you; not sure at this time whether any words help. I noticed some people have said that going for walks helps, I did that, helped me as I was having panic attacks and being inside anywhere, I felt trapped. Going to my GP helped, she was very understanding although I didnt take the sleeping tablets she recommended, went for some natural lavender tablets instead.

    You helped me when you wrote that my mum knew that I loved her and I had my life to live, I know you're right, it's just difficult when you feel that you should have done more. You looked after your mum so well, that must have been the greatest help and joy for your mum.

    I am further down the road in this journey, a place neither of us wants to be but you're right, I have to accept that I can't change the past, it's a day at a time and I keep thinking, our mum's wouldn't want us to be so sad, not forever, no, not forever.

    Thinking of you.

    Linda

    x

     

     

  • Oh Lucy, so sorry for your loss, I understand when you say you feel like a little lost girl, I felt the same, kept thinking about a photo of when I was around 4 ( I'm 55 now) and I'm holding mums hand. Our mum's were always there for us, how is it possible they're not now? Too difficult to comprehend.

    When people speak about a broken heart, you understand, it's like a physical ache. My husband says I shouldn't torture myself with the regrest, the what if's....we do the best we can at that time and how you loved your mum comes out in your posts and others I have read today, trying to second guess now probably doesn't help or is necessary but I know that it's difficult not too think back and go over different situations.

    I have photos's of mum around the house, always say 'morning mum' and have a little chat, that sounds crazy but helps me; I have a pendant with my mum's fingerprint, which was an idea from the funeral director, not sure if that is possible or if it would help, I find it a comfort, sorry, it's an incredlbly personal thing to comment on.

    I hope that your mum's service goes as well as can be expected and I will be thinking of you; sincere condolences Lucy.

    Take care,

    x

     

  • Linda,

     

    I'm glad I was able to help you. It's funny how we can comfort each other but cant manage to comfort ourselves during this time.

    I've also had panic attacks since mum died.whilst driving on a motorway, whilst eating food. I am on a waiting list for CBT through my GP which I am hoping will help.

    A good friend is a grief recovery specialist and she has recommended a grief recovery handbook which you can buy on Amazon.i havent started it yet as I know it will be difficult but she says it helped her where CBT and bereavement counselling failed.

    All I do is wish we could roll the clock back 7 weeks to when mum was healthy, happy and looking forward to getting her surgery out of the way before our holiday in August.

    Thinking of you and others that are going through this awful loss x

  • Hello there

    It is such a difficult time. I loss my lovely dad 10 wks ago, he was diagnosed on march 12th and died may 19th. He wasn't poorly at all. He died in my arms and I was lucky to share his journey  with him. I miss him, his wisdom and company every day. I'm sure that you always did what you thought was right. You had no idea of timing or what the future held. I try to accept what has happened and use it to be stronger and enjoy my children. I wish you all the best. It doesn get easier just try to find a new normal. Take care of yourself. All the best xxx Nicola

  • Thank you Nicola, I am very sorry for your loss.

    May 19th was my mum's birthday, she would have been 83. Strange isn't it, we do look to our dad's for the wisdom, they always seem to have the right answers. I know it's heartbreaking, so very sorry you lost your dad.

    It is a new normal, you're right, our lives are different now....day at a time and just to be able to come onto this site and know that people understand totally, it does help.

    Take care,

    Linda

    x

  • Thank you again, I hope your journey will get easier.

    x

  • Yours too, I hang on to the fact Dad said our little journey was worse for me than for him. Also, not to feel sad just take the reins and carry on. He was so honest, not frightened, super organised and accepted it. I'm still finding instructions stuck to things as to how they work, I can now change the oil filter on a ride on tractor!

    Remember the good times, message me whenever if it can help in any way. Your mum has left a huge hole so it will need a lot of filling with memories xx

    Nicola