Scared to lose my mum

My mum has a stage 4 cancer. The doctors have said possibly 2 years but some people live longer but it cannot be cured.  She is 61.

 

When we first learned it was cancer i obviously feared the worst and worried she may only have weeks left.... so on one hand I am happy she has longer and is also physically very well at the moment  making it hard to imagine what road might lie ahead.

 

I get very upset when I am alone and cry when I think about the years a head.  I am scared for my mum.  I dont want her to be scared or feel ill.  I feel sad for myself who will lose my mum but most of all I feel blind panic worrying how she will cope with the future.  I read about other people accepting and being strong.... what if my mum isnt? It breaks my heart  i just dont want her to be unhappy and have her life taken away.  She is so independent and has so many activities and hobbies she is involved in.

 

I would rather this happened to me than her.

  • I am in the exact same situation :( I'm only 19 and this has just come down on me like a tonne of bricks 

  • Is it your mum as well?

     

    How is she doing? 

     

    It is really tough isnt it?  The hardest thing we will ever have to do :( 

  • Yeah my mam went into hospital 2 weeks ago with a pain in her neck and since then they've found out the cancers back , she had breast cancer 2 years ago but it's back now and has travelled to a few different places including bone so not too sure how to feel right now :( 

  • Do they have a treatment plan for her?  Do you still live with your mum?

     

    I find when I am with my mum I can hold it together... but when I am alone I am a mess and worry about her. 

     

    :( I wish i could take it all away and not have her feeliny sad or scared.  I just love her so much. 

  • Hey, I'm in the same situation but I'm only 15 and she's only 51. I'm really scared now because it has spread from her lungs to her brain. I can't do anything without thinking about her, I wish I had more time with her... life is just not fair.

  • I am so so sorry to hear this. 
    I do not mean to come across as morbid or negative in anyway so please forgive me. I lost my mum a few days ago. She was 53 and she also had stage 4 cancer. She battled for 2 years. I am numb, empty, lost, confused and don't believe it was real. 
    my advice would be to not spend your time worrying. Believe me I know its hard, but what is going to happen, is going to happen and the very last thing you need is for when the inevitable does happen is to be filled with regret that all you did was waste the last few years worrying and being down. Enjoy every single second you have with your mum. Watch TV together, tell jokes together, bring up classic memories together, eat together and just love each other. Nothing else should matter! We all cope in different ways and have different situations. But when it comes down to it we all love our mums. I maybe wrong, but from my experience it still now doesnt seem real. Even after years of expecting. I have my doubts and regrets that I could have done more and I will live with that for the rest of my life. And that is far worse than the worry I had of when she is gone.. might just be me as I seen her nearly every night or certainly every other night. In regards to feeling scared for your mum just take her mind off it. Be with her, talk to her and support her and treat her how you always have done. I'm sure your mum loves you and the last thing mums want is their own children feeling scared or afraid. So don't feel scared or panic or anything like that. Live in the present! Not the future, and by doing this day by day and taking each step as it comes you can just simply enjoy the company of your mum. 
    Forgive me if this hasn't helped or come across wrong. I have good intentions. I just don't want anyone to feel the numbness that I do and overthink your thoughts when the day comes. And who knows that may be a very long way off.  

  • Hi [@Jake0968]‍ , I'm so sorry for the loss of your mum, and my thoughts are with you right now with what you are going through, it must be the worst experience ever, unfortunately shortly I will be experiencing it too. I felt like I needed to comment as what you have said is exactly right. Your words have helped me, I'm losing my mum to this horrible disease and she only has a few weeks left. She is 57, battled stage 4 for two years also. I want to Thankyou for your advice and I hope the lady you have responded to takes it too. Xx

  • Hi [@Catparrot21]‍  I'm so sorry to hear about your mum, it's awful what she and you are going through. I can remember when my mum was first diagnosed and I felt the same emotions as what you have described. It does take a while to come to terms with it, and in time you will accept it, just make sure you make lots of memories and try not think about the future, think about the present. Your mum will hopefully accept it aswell, everyone is different but me and my mum found that discussing it helped us come to terms with it, how she felt how I felt etc Is this something that you think you both might be able to do? We had a really long chat in the beginning and "got it off our chests" and afterwards we just enjoyed all the time we had together. Our mums are so precious to us and we just want the best for them. There is strength in you for you and your mum, you just can't see it yet. Xxx

  • I'm so sorry to hear that and it's so hard going through it at this age isn't it :(( I'm turning 19 on Sunday and can't cope with the fact I'll have to get through life without her:( if you ever want to talk you can text me ️

  • Hi 

    My mum has also been told today that she has incurable cancer. They confirmed it has spread from her kidney to her lungs. Its such a shock. Its all happened so quick. She only went to docs a few weeks ago with a cough and a scan detected it. She has been booked in for surgery to have a kidney removed as the tumour is so big its bigger than the actual kidney.

    I want to stay strong for her and for my 2 and 5 year old but when im alone im in peices and cant stop crying. Im due to have a 3rd child on 17th May and it breaks my heart that my bany daughter will never have the privillage to know her. She has been a nurse all of her life and has given her all to provide the best care possible. She is the most kind, warm, understanding, tolerant, peaceful and loving person i have ever know and its heartbreaking to know she will suffer and not be around for much longer. At least im privellaged to have know her for the 41 years ive been around. My heart breaks for you all too. So sorry, life isnt fair and Covid is so cruel.

    Its horrrible to think they have to go through the pain of treatment alone with the restrictions and all. 

    @Jake0968 - thank you so much for sharing your experience and thoughts. I also find them comforting. I will definately keep your positive message in mind and try to make the most of the each moment with mum and to live in the present

    Sending hugs to you all. 

    Jo xxxx