My dad is dying and I don’t know how to cope

We have recently found out our Dad has two types of lung cancer and it's possibly spread further. He has been told it's inopersble and the max time we are looking at is around 18months. He has been offered chemo however he is rapidly rapidly declining. It has only been two months and already he has lost so much weight and is clearly not ever going to be himself again. He is on such strong pain relief that he spends the day in and out of conciousness. My whole family is in bits and we are all coping badly but in different ways. I can not stop crying, right now I feel as though someone is stood on my chest and I could stop breathing. I really don't know what to do with this or what I should be doing for the best. Surely I can't keep going like this. I've tried to find some help online but it's all about grieving once you've lost a parent. I feel like I'm grieving already. He is only 53, never smoked, never drunk too much, kept fit. This is Pleural Mesothelioma which is aspestos related so we are told. I am terrified, about the fact my family will never be the same again, that mum is going to be alone, tbat we will never share any of the simple times together or even the wilder times as a family. I'm worried how my brother and sister, both in their 20's are going to cope. I'm even crying at the thought of never having a drink together again, or the fact we can't eat a meal anymore as he can't face food. He's literally dying in front of our eyes and I'm so lost as to how to cope with this. 

  • I know. The chemo and radiotherapy last time shrunk the cancer so much that it was all very positive and he was "well". This time it's all so different. He's deteriorated so much in the past 6 weeks that I'm even more scared about what's to come in the next few month. 
    I feel so selfish getting so upset about it when it's my Dad who is facing death, unable to eat knowing he only has a short time left 

  • My fellow solider, 

    it feels like this disease only takes the best. The only solidarity I take in the whole process is that god only takes you when it's your time. I'm not a massively religious man, but I know by your post that you are at a breaking point. The only hope I can give to you is that your lost one would be soo utterly proud of you that it could almost hurt. When my father was first diagnosed I tried to fight the world, untold he me told me the words, "you turned out better than I could I ever asked you" and I'll tell you I know that's how he thinks of you. It's horrible world, but a very good friend of mine told me, "if it's not for you it will pass you by" I relate that back to my faith. He only takes the good ones early my friend.

  • Hello my friend,

    this meant more to me than anything, I wish you and your family a prosperous new year!

    Good bless 

    Peter 

  • My amazing, wonderful Dad passed away last night, 23 days after his diagnosis. My heart is broken and I just feel numb to the core xxx

  • I am so sorry to hear your Dad passed away last night, I really can relate to how your feeling right now, my Dad passed away end of November after being in hospital since August and being diagnosed in September. My Mum passed away in May after diagnosis in January. 

    Numbness and complete disbelief is all I felt for about 7 months after Mum passed away and it is only now hitting me, I haven't processed Dad's passing yet either. Its so brutal and cruel, losing our loved ones is one of the hardest things we will go through in life. 

    Please know we all understand what your going through so please reach out again if you need us, also Cruse Bereavement are so supportive, they can be contacted on their freephone number during opening hours and you can complete an online form via their website for one-to-one counselling (there is a waiting list for this so I signed up quite early). I am waiting this afternoon for a telephone appointment with a GP due to having the most frightening panic attack last week, now I'm not sure what to say because all I feel is terrified of life, heartbroken and so many other emotions and I don't see how this can change, grief is an ongoing process which I hope in time will allow lighter moments to come into my life.

    Hold onto the love your Dad and you shared, nothing can break that love and bond between you. Hold onto that and know he will be willing you to keep going, through the bad days and he will be alongside you (I believe this personally).

    Really sorry for your loss and sending you a hug. Take care of yourself and your family.

    Jane x

  • Oh Jo I'm so sorry to hear your dad has passed away x 

    Sending my best wishes to you ️ ️

  • Thank you so much for your kind words Jane xxx

  • My dad is dying as well of lung cancer. It's in both his lungs and they can't offer chemo or anything as it's just not treatable because it risks lung collapse for him. So he is losing weight and the morphine is giving him stomach trouble . We are dealing with mood swings , panic , hospital appointments,  crying , family members who never visited before suddenly turning up. 

    It's not easy . My workplace has been unsupportive.  I have been off sick and reprimanded for that . 

    We just try and take one day at a time . I dont have any advice for you.  Just know that you're not alone.