Last Birthday

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Hello all, It’s my family members last birthday and I want to make it really special. She doesn’t want much fuss, but I want to do something special and wondered if you had any recommendations or special gifts of families in the same situation? Thank you :) 

  • HI PAD

    My husband was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumour about 2 weeks before his birthday in Sept 2020. We've now celebrated 4 last birthdays with him. Each of us has had 3 last birthdays. They never get any easier. We've had 3 last Christmases too.

    Gifts have always been a challenge due to the impact of his tumour but we have tried our best every time. My daughter gave him a lovely acrylic block of a photo of them together that was quite unique. This year gifts were all edible. We kept the gifts small this year. H loves Christmas mince pies so I gave him a dozen mince pies. He was delighted.

    Photo books containing photos of special occasions or funny moments are always a good gift.

    Our celebrations have become more muted as time as gone on but we've been out for meals to our favourite restaurants or had our favourite takeaways.

    This year I suspect was definitely the last birthday. G's friends took him out for lunch a couple of days before it. He used to row so the four of them set off across the River Clyde in a rowing boat to go for lunch at a hotel on the other side. The boys had brought party hats and a cake. When I arrived to meet them to drive him home late afternoon, they were just coming ashore, having rowed across the river with their party hats on! (G wasn't rowing)  His one pal complained though that G had told them they had all eaten enough birthday cake and had thrown the last slice over the side of the boat! 

    I'm sure whatever you do to celebrate your family member will just be glad to have you there.

    love n hugs

    Wee Me xx

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

  • Hello Wee Mee,

    thank you for your lovely message, it really gave me so much warmth on what was such a difficult time. I’m so glad G was in great sprits and his friends took him out on the rowing boat, what special moments. My loved one‘a birthday was yesterday, I put so much pressure on choosing a present and a card, and the present didn’t even arrive. But maybe that was world’s way of telling me that it doesn’t matter, I spent so much time there that day, decorating it with balloons whilst they slept. On the actual day, the chemo had really exhausted them. It’s so hard, I wish they had G’s zest to get out and not let the cancer stop them but it’s truly mentally ruined them and going out anywhere rather than the hospital has become void. But they’re still here and surrounded by love and I guess at the end of the day, that’s all we have. 

    sending hugs x