In a bad place.

First of all I want to say thank you Brian for your kind words on the thread that Ghost posted. It is nice to be thought about and after those brief posts I decided to follow my own advice and write about the bad place I feel I am in right now.

As some will know I have lost many friends and loved ones to cancer over the years with last year being the worst.  It was difficult watching my Dad get sicker but I feel I was actually dealing with things relatively well and even after he died in May I have coped about as well as anyone could expect although I still do mourn him because I miss him so much.  Unfortunately my Aunty died last November and it feels like her passing was the straw that broke the camel's back.  Ever since I feel like a fundementally different person!

I don't just have less patience I am actually just plain angry a lot of the time.  I look at things differently in a way that nothing seems all that important and I find it hard to put in the full effort to work and things in general that I have always given in the past.  My mind is constantly full of thoughts and feelings that will not go away no matter how I try to reason with them or sort them out in my head. I just feel different and what scares me the most is that because of my state of mind I feel differently about the the one person who has given me such great support through everything - my wife. She is such a wonderful person and has done nothing to deserve ending up with me not being the same person she married.  My Mum said a couple of years ago that "grief does funny things to people" and she was speaking from experience although I didn't fully appreciate what she meant at the time.

I have tried to concentrate on the positives in my life, of which there are many but it seems to make no difference.  Even when I read what difficult times others are going through, Beaker83 for instance, I feel guilty for wallowing in my own selfish thoughts when others are are so much worse off but even then I just revert back to my own petty problems and wrap myself back up in self pity.

Hopefully I may feel a little better for writing this and let me just thank you for reading.

Take care everyone.

Garf. 

  • Hi everyone,

    I just wanted to quicly update this thread to say that my friend from North Wales with cervical cancer has been told, after her intense treatment, that she is in remission!

    This has been the best news to come for a while and I am absolutely thrilled for her and both my wife and I can't wait to give her a hug when we go to visit my family in August.  Unfortunately it is still tinged with sadness at Jo's (meerkat) recent bombshell.  It is so unfair that someone who has been fighting for so long and had a light at the end of the tunnel was told that the light was in fact an oncomming train.  How much more needs to be done to get rid of this damn disease once and for all?

    Anyway this was just a quick update so take care everyone and Jo, if you happen to be reading this, my thoughts, best wishes and hugs are with you. x

    Garf.

  • Morning Garf

    Was good to read the good news about your friend and hope  you will have a great get together in August whilst you are visiting family.  Would also add my good wishes with regards to Jo and I am sure she is aware that all her virtual buddies are keeping her in their thoughts following her recent disappointing news. Big Hugs  Jules x

  • Hi Garf

    Great news about your friend.  Good news is always so welcome.  Hope the weather is good for your trip in August.  Although I am sure it will be a lovely trip anyway seeing family and your friend it always seems nicer when the sun shines.

    Jo

    Fingers crossed for you.

    Gill

  • Hi Garf,

    I am pleased to read about your friends good news, and have to say, you yourself have certainly been due for some. It is quite surprising how things like this make us feel so much better.

    But as you say, the good news is watered down by Jo's bad news. She has always shown such a great sense of humour and once told me she thought the N H S should bottle me and prescribe me as a mood enhancer. Not sure I want to be liquidised but appreciated her comment.

    Take care Garf and hope to chat again soon, Brian.

  • Thank you Gill,

    It would be a pleasant change if the sun happens to be shining in Wales in August but as you say it will be nice to see family and friends anyway.  I am hoping the weather will be good although I have yet to mention to my wife that my golf clubs will take up significant luggage space in the car.  That's a bridge to be crossed closer to the time.

    Brian, I love Jo's comment about bottling you up as a mood enhancer but obviously that wouldn't work - what with all the people who suffer nut allergies these days.

    Thank you both.

    Garf.

  • Hi Garf

    Now come on. if your wife needs to take all her bits and bobs (never met a woman who didn't) then you need room for your sports equipment.  Oh yes, I have had sunshine in Wales (many moons ago though!!).  Hope you got a game this weekend (I have spent all day in the back garden (hubby spent most of it asleep in front of the tv!).  We are now both on our laptops with 20/20 cricket on the tv so hopefully a pleasant evening over roast lamb to come!! Will reply to PM soon when have gathered my little grey cells.  In the meantime have a good week (day at a time remember).  Hugs from Jules (semi-stalker!!)

  • Hi Garf,

    Havent seen your name crop up on here for a while and just wondered how you are keeping. Hope you are okay.

    Best wishes, Brian

  • Hi Brian,

    So sorry for being more than a little tardy with this response but with the way things have been in recent months I have severely neglected the site and everybody who uses it.  I hope you and Mrs Brian are well and how is your Dad doing?  Last time we spoke I seem to remember he wasn't that well?

    I promise to try not to be such a stranger in the future, work and demons permitting.

    All the best to you Brian,

    Garf.

    ----------------------------

    Jo if you are reading this I will be in touch soon and I am so touched that you said you think of me often,  I have worried about you too and have little excuse for being so quiet lately.

    Take care my stalker

    Garf. xx

  • Hi Garf,

    You have no need to apologise at all. It's just that not having seen your name on here for a while I was a little concerned.

    Dad is home now although very weak and spoke to him on the phone a few days ago, something I didn't think I would ever be able to do again the way he was when in hospital. It looked vary bad for him. But he is a fighter and doesn't give up thank god. So proud of him.

    You take care of yourself Garf, best wishes, Brian.

  • Hi Garf,

    It's great to see your name come up again. I had a pm from your personal stalker the other day(Jo) and she mentioned that she looks out for you.

    I hope life hasn't been treating you badly even if it has treated you busily. ( I know that feeling , lol ) .

    I have noticed that the site goes a little quiet from time to time from those that have been on here for a couple of years.

    The real question is where does time go???

    Anyway this is one of two days off for me and I had better get on with todays project which is one particulr area of the garden before the weather changes.

    Take care Garf

    lots of good wishes

    Annabel. xx