When holding out isn't enough......

3 minute read time.

You know that phrase when you 'holding out' for something. And you're praying and hoping that the news you don't want to hear, will never come?

Well it has come. In the form of a tsunami ripping its way through my conciousness and searing itself permantly upon my life. My Dad has until Autumn. Bugger me to obilivion. He told me himself. In very calm gentle tones. 'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.' Oh Dad. Seriously,  I'd have given EVERYTHING I have to hear the words, Its a stroke. I've had a mini Stroke (TIA). That that was why his body's gone funny. But its not. Its the Cancer swelling his brain pressing on the nerves and dibilitating him and making his right hand side all weak and pathetic. 

'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.'

'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.'

Around and around. Again and again. And as he is telling me the news these in-human sobs I've NEVER heard myself make are ripping themselves from my body under protest. I feel sick. And light headed. And ill and small and frightened and horrified all at the same time. I want to scream out loud, and punch the bed I am sat on. I want to claw at my own skin and rip my way out of this reality. I desperately want to rage against this horrific injustice that i am feeling. Because its not fair. It never is mind. But at that moment, i can feel all that i have been clinging to this past year stripped away in an instance. And there is nothing. A blank wall. The calculation, the gambles I've played with hope, gone. The stupid, well this is bad so maybe Dad's results will be good. The 'Bad comes along in threes.....' Well, I've had two deaths this year already. And we can see who will be the third........

How much does this suck? I can't even bloody quantify it. And if i hear the words 'Oh well, at least you know how much time he has left, that must help.' one more time, i will NOT be held accountable for my actions.

S E R I O U S L Y! Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME! Oh yes it helps immensely that i know for a fact he is going to die in 3 months. That he won't make it to Christmas. It fills me with the most wonderful sense of calm and peacefulness. In fact i feel POSITIVELY GLOWING with the excitement of the news.................... *ahem*

I wish i could be all strong and Amazon woman like. I wish i had the capacity to push forward and be the beacon that i know everyone is expecting me to be. I know exactly what is expected of me. I will be expected to hoist the torch high above my head, and lead everyone to the ultimate destination. To ensure that all arms and legs remain inside the ride until we reach the finish and that seatbelts remain fastened whilst the sign is still lit. HOW the HELL am I going to do this?????

I've a Mother, Father and Brother to keep upright. I'm in the middle of relocating to Scotland from Swindon to be with my GF and Mum and Dad live in Dorest.  I'm also in the middle of going through a Divorce. I've handed in my notice at work and I am starting my new job in August and then Training throughout September. 

And all the while.........

'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.'

'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.'

Around and around it goes. In every speedy circles. Until I don't know whether to rip my hair out by the roots, or bash my head repeatedly into the desk infront of me. I can't cry. Because I won't cry. I'm numb with a headache the size of the UK. But yet I can feel my brain is on overload. 

'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.'

'Its not good news darling. I've got until Autumn. Its spread to my brain.'

I've never felt so powerless in my whole life.

And I've never felt more alone.

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    big hugs to you i no how you feel lost my mum to cancer doctors said she had a liver infection she went into hosp  cause she was in so much pain  they did tests they told us she had cancer  nearly every wer she passed away 4 wks later  that was 20 years ago she was only 36 now  my  dads got cancer cant believe it i am devastated i feel so numb. love to you and your family take care  vanessa xxxx    

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Kate,

    I know exactly what you mean. My dad was diagnosed with inoperable metastatic lung cancer at the end of March and we were given weeks, possibly months. I did the same thing you did "Well I've had my share of bad luck", "surely the universe wouldn't take a man who is doing so much good for such a lot of people in his work", "it must be a mistake". Just awful. Before the lung cancer was diagnosed as primary site there was a chance that it could be bone cancer primary and I sat there thinking "please let him have bone cancer, please let him have bone cancer" then thinking "what kind of nutjob wants their dad to have bone cancer?". But the survival rates for bone cancer primary are so much better. Sadly it wasn't to be and he died 8 weeks after diagnosis. I also had no idea how I was going to cope, how I'd keep it together because I'm the strong one out of our family and so people would look to me. Ringing round the family to tell them the news was the hardest set of calls I've ever made. Awful. You will cope, you'll not know how and you'll not think about it because you'll just plod on day by day dealing with things as and when they crop up but you'll cope. You are stronger than you imagine. It is an utter bastard of a disease, you're quite right.

    Thinking of you and your family, Vikki xxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Vikki and Nessa,

    Its horrific isn't it. The only thing I can do is keep moral up. What else is there? Mum is at the coal face the whole time putting up with his mood swings, and temper tantrums. The only thing that will happen at some point is that i will have to separate out the disease from my Dad.

    And again thank you for continued support everyone. Honestly it is so so nice to know that I am not going crazy.....

    xxxxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Kate - a lovely person on this site told me, when I was in the same place you are now, to just take each day as it comes, treasure the times you have with your dad, and above all to look after yourself. You have a hard time ahead of you, especially with everything else going on in your life, but you'll find the strength to carry on somehow, we all do. And do keep in touch - you'll get masses of support. That's why I'm still here, trying to help others in the same way I was helped. Love and hugs, Val

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    <p>The last time I seen the dates posted on this was 2011, it's now 2015 is anyone still there??? My dads cancer is incurable  he is getting along and accepting it doing all the treatments he needs  to keep him here as long as possible, my mum is falling apart!! Totally!! Since Dad was diagnosed mum has been so ill with different things and it gets worse every time,   please could some one anyone tell me how to help........?. I am so scared I am going tol lose both of them! :( </p>