This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Dying young & alone Why?

I was diagnosed with IDC (breast Cancer) in August of 2007, I went through the chemo, the bilateral mastcetomy, My whole circle of family and friends were a huge support to me going through this. We had lost my father in 1996 to a brain tumor, he was only 49. In June of 2009 my oncologist told me that I have Adenocarcinoma effecting the inferior mediastinal nodes, on the outside on my lungs, he labled me terminal, 6 months to a year, I am now in my 8th month, enrolled Hospice since July. I am only (just)) 38. I have no one to talk to that understands what this is like, my whole circle for whatever reason, perhaps the burden of my upcoming death, have walked away from me. I ask my Hospice nurse "isn't there other dying people out there that i can talk to? Other terminally ill people that will TRULY understand my thoughts, my feelings?" She said simply, "no" So I decided to look online for a terminal chat room, and this is what i found. I am afraid to die alone, afraid to die when my Hospice people are not here. I need others that understand the harsh realities of being terminally ill with a very agile mind because i am young. I never married nor had any children, out of choice, I wanted to pursue my carrer in the arts before i settled down. I was able to have a final wish come true through The Dream Foundation, which was way cewl :)... At any rate, I just don't understand why everyone has walked away from me, it is my belief that my circle of friends and family are tapping their fingers "waiting for that phone call", i feel like a bad secret that everyone put in the closet..... Why can't birds of a feather flock together?- Why do the dying have no one to relate to? I feel very alone in my journey as my symptoms remind me everyday that i am Terminal...

Alone,

Terminal

  • Thanks a lot, Tony,  for letting us know the sad news and also thank you to Tanya's friend for passing on the information. At Cancer Chat, we had also been missing Tanya's posts and fearing the worst and we are very sad to hear that she is no longer with us. I am sure you will all want to remember Tanya by re-reading this amazing thread that she started two years ago.  She wrote magnificently and her beautiful, sincere words and poetry brought tears to many eyes and touched many of us deeply to the point that it was difficult not to be instantly drawn to Tanya's thread and vibrant personality. She wrote on her very first post that she found this forum after looking online for a chat room because there was no one around who could truly understand how she felt and she was afraid of dying alone. I am sure she knew that you were all there for her until the end. Her messages attracted countless followers and I remember how often people would come and check to see how she was doing, waiting and hoping for her to post more. I am sure Tanya considered every one of you to be her friend from 'across the pond' and that you brought her comfort at times when she would have needed it most.

    Rodis, please do share with us that poem if you don't mind as it will probably be the most fitting tribute to Tanya's fighting spirit and also it will highlight what also struck me about her: the literary talent of a genuine writer.

    Finally, my deepest condolences to her family and friends who have followed her on her long journey and must be feeling devastated.

    Warmest wishes to you all,

    Lucie

  • Lucie - as requested the poem.

    Her Journey's Just Begun

    Don't think of her as gone away -

    her journey's just begun,

    Life holds so many facets - this earth is only one.

    Just think of her as resting

    from the sorrows and the tears

    in a place of warmth and comfort

    where there are no days and years.

    Think of how she must be wishing

    that we could know today,

    how nothing but our sadness can really pass away.

    And think of her as living

    in the hearts of those she touched.......

    for nothing loved is ever lost -

    and she was loved so much.

    I hope this gives comfort to all who have lost. Rodis.

  • I didnt ever speak to Tanya but had read her thread due to the moving title

    My deepest sympathy to her family and friends

    May she rest in peace

    Geri

  • Thank you Tony for taking it upon yourself to be the contact point and the bearer of this sad news. It's not unexpected of course, and though distressing to know Tanya was in pain at the end we can be relieved to know her suffering is over. She was a funny and brave soul and even though it's a while since we heard from her she will be missed.

    Angelinthemaking

  • I have sat here for hours today reading the WHOLE of this thread....what a Woman. On par with Mother Taressa...would not give up. I just could not understand why so many of her friends and family would not want to be around this brave, hearty tigress. Such a wonderful way with words.

    R.I.P Tanya....you even brought tears to an old soldiers eyes.

  • Hello again,

    I agree Tanya had a wonderful way with words and it is nice to see her thread is still being read by new users of the site, bringing even tears "to an old soldier's eye".

    For those of you who want to know a little bit more about Tanya, and see the face behind the beautiful words, I have found this tribute page which was set up shortly after she died and has nice photos of her as well as some of her poems. Tanya was always very transparent about who she was and I am sure she would have been happy for me to share it with all the supportive friends she made here and the ones like abritincanada she never got to speak to but whose heart she touched.

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Lucie,

    you must have some sort of mind reading ability. it was not long after getting to the end of all that tanya wrote did i think,would have been nice to be able to put a face to such a strong person.

    I shall go right away and read more of her.

    Thanks,

    nigel

  • Ha ha I wish I did have mind reading powers!   I hope you will all enjoy learning a little bit more about Tanya.

  • Hi  Lucie,

    Where is the link to Tanya's tribute page? I would love to read it. Thank you. skyblue

    Message was edited by: skyblue

  • Hi skyblue,

    It's the one I posted just above (not in my last message but the one before) - it seems to work fine but I am very happy to post it again in case you missed it. Just click here and you should be able to see Tanya's tribute page.

    Best wishes,

    Lucie