My dear Mum: 3 days from diagnosis to death

I don't really know how to express how I feel right now, I'm still in a state of disbelief that I could lose my mum so suddenly. Apart from a swelling on her neck that caused her not to sleep so well (and prompted a hospital appointment to see what it was) she seemed fit and well. She then began feeling breathless, had scans on Tuesday at the hospital, was told by her doctor the next day that the scans found a mass in her chest that was likely cancer and then she died on Saturday. Only 3 days later. I really thought she would be ok. I convinced myself that because she had began feeling poorly for only a short time that we had caught the cancer early and she would be ok. She died of cardiac tamponade, fluid had built up around her heart as a result of the cancer. We are still waiting on definite answers but were told at the hospital following her death that it's very likely she had a very aggressive form of lung cancer and prognosis would have been poor but I keep thinking if we had only just got her to hospital sooner she would still be with us. She was only 68 and full of life. It's hard to come to terms with her not being with us any longer. I'm 32 and have now lost both my parents.

Has anyone had experience with a sudden death from cancer like this? I'm just struggling to believe it's possible but know this disease is cruel and unfair.

Parents
  • I'm so sorry about your tragic loss . A similar situation with me , my husband was diagnosed with liver and stomach cancer 6 days before he passed away. It was such a shock as he was only 41 and was working right up untill 2 weeks before he died. Me and my daughter were in shock and were having panic attacks and his death didn't really hit me for about a month as I was in so much shock !!! This happened in august 2019 and I am now coming to terms with it and I find that I am not crying every day although I'm always thinking about him and he's often in my dreams , your not alone my love so many of us lose our loved ones so fast and tragically it has taugh me a powerful lesson tho ... I embrace every day and live my life and am grateful to be alive and I don't argue with anyone and I show all my love to my family that are alive because we just don't know when it will be our time to go , sending you lots of healing thoughts and prayers 

Reply
  • I'm so sorry about your tragic loss . A similar situation with me , my husband was diagnosed with liver and stomach cancer 6 days before he passed away. It was such a shock as he was only 41 and was working right up untill 2 weeks before he died. Me and my daughter were in shock and were having panic attacks and his death didn't really hit me for about a month as I was in so much shock !!! This happened in august 2019 and I am now coming to terms with it and I find that I am not crying every day although I'm always thinking about him and he's often in my dreams , your not alone my love so many of us lose our loved ones so fast and tragically it has taugh me a powerful lesson tho ... I embrace every day and live my life and am grateful to be alive and I don't argue with anyone and I show all my love to my family that are alive because we just don't know when it will be our time to go , sending you lots of healing thoughts and prayers 

Children
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