i'm 17 and watching my mum slowly get worse

my mum has terminal cancer. recently her treatment has stopped working and the drs are looking to give a new one. we're waiting on blood test results before she starts it and shes really unwell. i feel so guilty. i'm still going to college and spending time with my friends when she cant even get out of bed. i'm making plans for gigs with my band and shes stuck in the same room all day. i want to leave college and quit my band and not do anything but be with her. i'm so scared that shes going to die soon and i wont have spent enough time with her. i dont have another parent so me and my sister look after her. i just feel like an awful daughter and that i'll regret not spending more time with her. i hate seeing her so ill and not being able to do anything. none of this is fair. i dont know what to do

Parents
  • Try not to think about what you’ll regret my mums terminal too and I’m finding it so hard my family don’t talk about serious stuff and mum wants to pretend it’s not happening but Im sure our mums just want us to live having a balance is part of that so college seeing Tory mates and your band stuff is important believe me I moved out just before my mums diagnosis the guilt was awful but I have to carry on with my life as much as we both want to drop everything I considered quitting my job just to spend all my time with her but that’s just unrealistic unfortunately:( hope you’re doing better

  • i am thank you. sometimes the greif becomes a lot and i think thats when the guilt starts. now i've calmed down a bit, i realise that i need to acheive my goals because my life wont end with my mums. i hope that things feel easier for you as well

  • Therapy is very helpful I’m going to it myself and also seeking some specific to this! It’s so overwhelming I find it effects me so much more when I’m not busy or on my own but I can’t stay busy all the time yanno? I’m trying to let myself feel it in little bursts so it doesn’t overwhelm me so easily but obviously still stupidly overwhelming and thank you they think me mums got 6 months but is seemingly healthy so it’s very hard to get my head around!

Reply
  • Therapy is very helpful I’m going to it myself and also seeking some specific to this! It’s so overwhelming I find it effects me so much more when I’m not busy or on my own but I can’t stay busy all the time yanno? I’m trying to let myself feel it in little bursts so it doesn’t overwhelm me so easily but obviously still stupidly overwhelming and thank you they think me mums got 6 months but is seemingly healthy so it’s very hard to get my head around!

Children
  • its so difficult. i got told my mum had 6 months aroind 3 years ago. the fact that its so unknown is very hard. i like your idea of doing it in small parts. it'll still hurt but it might be easier for me to understand that way

  • I agree grief is so painful n I think anticipatory is worse when my mum got diagnosed over a yr ago I thought podcast and facts were helpful but like you said given 6months 3 years ago is soooo confusing and hard to know what to do with yourself!

  • me too, waiting knowing there in pain is so hard. its such a weird thing to go through. knowing that she's going to die of this illness but having no idea when. it sounds so morbid saying this but its almost as if we were given a timeline and now were waiting for her to die. its so hard to come to terms with the fact that my mother isnt going to be here at some point and that i'll have to live without her when i'm sitting next to her. we're doing as much as we can together but having convos about is a struggle because you never know when the last one will be. 

  • I know it sounds morbid but I think you’re right that’s how it feels sometimes anyways I’m so glad you get to have those conversations my mum really struggles/refuses to talk about it all with me since she just wants to enjoy our time and obviously I do too and I feel guilty for not just going along with it but she’s the only one I can talk to properly yes therapists are helpful but I mean it’s not my mum 

  • i completely get what you mean. my mum is the only person i feel like i can be truly honest with. i know its not the same, but i can always talk to you about things that are happening or if you need a distraction from it all. i do hope she begins to open up and talk to you more. just remember that youre not alone <3

  • Thank you so much I really appreciate you saying that! I spoke to a charity that was recommended to me ‘Maggies’ could be helpful to you they can call or in do I person meetings they told me to go to my mums next appointment she hasn’t let me go to any yet so I hope she does soon! And talk after I know the prognosis since her dr hasn’t given me the timeline only from the typical in google sorta thing which is tricky because it’s not for our mum specifically so I almost don’t believe she’s got 6 months until I hear her dr say it! And please feel free to talk to me I’m having to talk on some sort of private message if you’d prefer just let me know