help

3 minute read time.

I have no idea what i think that I am going to get from writing what is going on in my life at the moment but i just feel it is something that i feel will help me…..

My Mum was diagnsosed with stage four breast cancer last november - stage four is secondary cancer and is incurable basically my mum is terminally ill and is going to die from this god dam awful disease, we dont know when but i feel its going to be soon, over the last 6 months mum has become someone that i dont even recognise, she is a shell of the woman that i have known as my mum for the last 33 years,

Mum had breast cancer about 7 years ago and had a masectomy.  I remember the day that she came home from the hospital with my dad and told myself and my brother, i can remember how i felt, numb scared the same feeling im sure that everyone else feels when they find out that s loved one has a disease that potentially will kill them.  Thankfully mum beat the cancer and then was in remission.  We didn't even realise that her cancer had come back until she went to the hospital because she had a blood infection because of her lympdemia.  She explained whist she was there that she was getting pains in her chest etc.  We found out that she had cancer in her sternum, ribs, liver, spine and also in her brain.  Mum had radiotherapy for about 1 week everyday and it was horrendous, they make a mesh mask that fit the patients face perfectly.  then every session they lay mum down on this metal bed thing and then put the mask on and clip it on her.  She cant get out of it. the radiotherapy only lasts about 5 mins but im sure ti my mum it was the longest 5 mins of her life.

Mums cancer had reduced my family to breaking point.  Work had become a realise too me, I can get away from it al and pretend for a few hours that its not happening and everything is fine but of course i have to come home to it and although i pretend to everyone that i am fine and coping well the truth is im breaking inside.  

I cannot remember the last time we had a home cooked meal, most days we dont have anything, mums never hungry, dad says there is no point in cooking for 2 so we just go without. truthfully dad is lazy ever since he retired last year and has looked after mum he doesn't do anything, its like he doesn't believe the situation we are in.

Mum has had enough she said the other day while she was in hospital that she had had enough and that she wants the nurse give her an injection to make her go away, dad told her not say that but when we gt home I said to him that it is how she feels she is tired of it all tired of fighting tired of being admitted to hospital all the time tired of being prodded about and even though it breaks my heart it is only going to get worse

Sometimes when i cant sleep i imagine what the time would be like when she is taken by the angels and i dont want that life i really really don’t.  When i lay in the bath i go under water and cry so no one can hear me cry and no one can see the tears streaming down my face.  Pathetic i know.

I wonder how my dad will survive when she is gone, in the house all by himself just him the rabbit and the dog all day while i go out and work.  i know that it wont be good, ill end up having to do everything and then i start to wonder will i have to quit my job and get something with less hours so i can be home more but then money worries me so much.  Will we be able to survive and will my mums passing be too much for my dad and then he goes as weak, just leaving me.

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Claire

    i would just like to say i feel Ur pain i really do , watching someone u love so dearly suffer from this horrible disease , my own dad was diagnosed last year on my birthday with stomach cancer , he also put up 1 hell of a fight , but sadly he passed away last week, in a very small way i am glad hes at peace and is not suffering no more, the last few weeks of his life where the most terrible thing to watch,

    I just want to say you never think that so many people are in the same situation as your self , but they are , its an emotional roller coaster from start to finish , spend as much quality time with Ur loved one, i am here if ever u just need to chat

    take care

    ang xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Morning Claire,

    That is one tough situation everyone is facing :(

    It may be your dad rather than being lazy is partially in denial and partially suffering from depression brought on by a situation he has no control over ?

    He may have given up himself as it must be hard for him to see the woman he has loved for all this time fading away 24/7 - He could even be mourning the loss already as a way of preparing himself for the worst especially as you mention your poor mum is just a shell of the woman she was.

    Please don't cut your hours back as your work is the only emotional break away from this that you get and the last thing you need now is financial worries as well :(

    Try to get other people involved with helping to lighten the load - Do you have any brothers or sisters that can step in and help out, or see mums GP and have a chat about seeing if it is time to get a palliative care package arranged also get in contact with social services and see what is on offer.

    There are a couple of groups here you could join to get some emotional and practical support - One is the 'Supporting Someone With Incurable Cancer' group and the other is the very active Carers Group.

    Don't really like asking, but has your mum been given any time frame on how long she may have ? Not that these dates can be very accurate but there is a lot more information here about end of life, but I'm unsure about passing this on to you if this is still early days.

    Think what you could also do is to use the free phone 0808 808 0000 support line and speak to one of the Macmillan cancer nurses after 9am, they are brilliant so please don't feel you are putting them out by phoning as it is what they are there for.

    Hope this is of some help at a tough time, take care, G n' J

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi thanks for the comments.... Today's a bad day again as I'm replying to you I'm sitting in Starbucks with tears streaming down my face. God knows what people are thinking. I have an older brother but he only comes around once a week. It's so tough and last night I cried hard for the first time in months. The doctors haven't given us a timeframe in someways I wish they had at least then we will all know. I though dad was in denial at first so I got his friend to take him out for a chat as he had also been through this with his late wife it obviously has not worked. Me and dad are now starting to take the pain worry and fustration mum by snapping at her. Today she refused to get out of bed to go to the hospice - she goes there once a week to give my dad 4 hours rest bite.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Claire, I've just read your blog with tears in my eyes. I'm new to this and felt I needed something to help me with my feelings thoughts and emotions as this is all new. I don't know whether talking about my emotions and situation to people I've never met before but no harm in trying.

    I'm 28 my mum and dad got divorced when I was 4. My dad has lived alone ever since. He lives a 2 hour drive away from me with no friends or job.

    yesterday my dad got his official diagnosis of lung cancer which cannot be operated on.

    I'm confused and have lots of questions, maybe taking to someone who has been through it could answer those questions I have? Maybe we can help each other?

    Sorry if this is all odd like I say Im new to this the cancer these blogs and forums but i don't know who else to talk to?

    take care.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Katy, this is the first time I've ever used this. This time with mums diagnosis I've really struggled. I'm not sure if it will help but I'm going to use it as a way to write down what I am feeling. I would be happy to speak to you if it will help . Take care Claire