Not sure how to cope

Hi

my husband passed away on 21st sept after a long hard battle with cancer. He managed to get to our daughter’s wedding on the 17th sept although it was a struggle. When we got home the next day I had to phone the nurses and they got a bed for him downstairs and he peacefully slipped away over the next 3 days. I’m sure he knew what was happening to him and just sheer determination got to see our daughter get married. I’ve been ok I think getting on with sorting things and had his funeral on Tuesday which was a lovely service and we collected £640 in donations which we have split between Macmillan and Marie curie. Since then I have found it harder, I can be just watching the telly or doing something when it suddenly hits me that he’s gone and I start thinking about everything he went through. I feel like crying but don’t want to so distract myself by concentrating on the telly again or go and do something. Am I right in doing this or should I be giving into my tears. It’s been such an emotional few weeks and the conflicting emotions of having such a happy day at the wedding followed by the following traumatic few days are proving very difficult to process.

 

 

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  • Hi Ladybaba,

    I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. I can only imagine how incredibly difficult this must be, and it sounds like there have been a lot of emotions to deal with over recent weeks. It's good to hear that the wedding was a happy day and that he could be there for it, although I understand what you say about the conflicting emotions.

    There is no right or wrong way to deal with grief, and everyone's experience of grief is different. However I would say that there is no need to fight the tears - sometimes it's best to let the emotions play out. There's no need to bottle anything up, although I know that sometimes these emotions can feel overwhelming. It may be more difficult in a way to give in to the emotions, but longer-term it may help to do this in terms of processing things.

    Others may have a different view, and like I say everyone is different. Either way, hopefully you have others around you to speak to for support. We are of course always here on the forum too if you need it, and I'm sure there'll be others here with similar experience.

    If ever you feel you'd like additional support or to speak to someone more neutral, have a look at Cruse, who have various resources and a helpline also.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Thanks for replying [@Moderator Ben]‍ I know bottling things up is not good for you but you are right what you say in that giving in to it is overwhelming and I feel like I don’t want to give in to them but maybe i’ll give letting the tears flow a go next time it hits me instead of fighting them off x

  • Let them flow     you'll be stronger for it

    X

  • Thanks for the reply [@Snoopy6691]‍ i know you are right but really struggling to let go. I keep fighting the tears back

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