New and need support

Wanted to say hi - am currently looking after my mum who is very ill with stomach/oesophageal cancer that has spread to her liver, bones, thyroid.  She’s at home, but is very poorly and sometimes it overwhelms me. I lost my dad over 20 years ago and I know my mum won’t be here much longer.  

  • Hello Menalau; I am sorry to read of the difficulties you are going through and know I cannot start to imagine how you feel.  I am glad you have come to this forum as you can post here as often as you want for any reason - we often find it helpful just to let off steam and say how we feel. At any time day or night there is usually someone around.   Are you the only carer - it is a difficult and distressing task although I am sure you don't begrudge the effort you are putting in.  Just to say that there is a limit to what one human being can cope with.  Do you have any other family around?  Both my parents died in hospital so I was not tied up so closely in everything that was done and did have some time for myself.  I am attaching some information from this website about the need for carers to take care of themselves.  One of the items provides links to other carers with whom you might like to correspond from time to time.  Annie

    www.cancerresearchuk.org/.../family-friends-caregivers

    I hope you feel able to

     

  • Thanks for your response- I have a sister but she works fairly long hours.  She’s very helpful though.  But it’s such hard work and mum is pretty helpless.  

  • Hi; just wondered how things had been going for you.  (Also wondering what happened to the last sentence of my previous post - I have no idea what I was trying to say!)  Do let off steam if it helps (but you don't have to - I hope you are not feeling too rough).  Annie