We were told the news last Wednesday that mum who is 87 has lung, bone and adrenal cancer, she has been suffering a long time with pain in her hip which we thought was due to her osteoporosis. The specialist and cancer nurse were so lovely with mum and my sister and me.

There is nothing that they can do apart from palliative care and the Macmillan nurses have already made contact, along with the district nurse. She is now on the right medication for her pain level plus a liquid form top up.

Her appetite has gone due to the fact she can’t taste anything and I try to tempt her with just little tastes of what she fancies. We are a very close family and can talk openly about death and dying. Mum accepts that she will not survive this and is grateful that she has had reasonable health up to the last few years.

I think the worst thing is not knowing how long she has got left and how she will be. This morning after a very long sleep she got up and was very shaky and felt sick, she thought she was having a stroke but once she took the tablets she felt better.  I’m wondering if this could be because she was due her medication??  

All the family are supportive but not overwhelming her, she does not take sympathy very well.  

My sister and I are obviously in bits but we don’t show it in front of her because this is about her not us.