FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

Losing A parent from cancer

StrivingToSurvive
Community Member

Hi,

Now I understand why 2020 is the worst. at the beginning of the year I was living a normal life as a 15 yr old and I continued on to do so. I came across many friends who just hated this yr so bad because of remote learning and stuff. for me that wasn't that bad because I loved staying home and avoid seeing people.

things were going good until July where my mum had her hands turned purple. she went to the hospital and came back being diagnosed with TNBC (triple negative breast cancer). My mum is the type who hides her pain VERY well with her smile. I had really high hopes that she would heal. but as days passed on, her condition got worse. Her death is not what scarred me and made me painfully sad. It is the amount of pain she went through and me just sitting there not knowing what to do just broke me into tears.

every time I go home from school, the first thing I do was to always go see my mum, she would always be there in the kitchen cooking food for us.

And now I go home with no scent of her cooking, no sound, just complete silence. The light that used to lit up the house is gone. the warmth of her hug has disappeared. she never cared or spent money on herself. she needed new clothes but she wanted to spend her money on us and other people.

People with the kindest heart leaves the best memory and at the same time the worst pain.

I hope I can find someone who can relate to me because it is hard. Grief is something that will never heal completely. I don't want to feel alone anymore.

Thank you for reading this.

21 Replies 21

SadJo
Community Member
This is my first post here. It's hard to read posts where everyone has spoken about the pain of grief. I lost my beautiful Mum to Ovarian Cancer 7 years ago - that was the catalyst for my depression worsening. Mum and I were extremely close and I feel like a part of me has been ripped away. Why after 7 years does it still hurt so much? Why can't I cope? I have adult children of my own, but even they aren't enough to fill the black hole. Every day when I cry I tell myself, "my Mum is worth every tear I shed"... and she really is worth everything, but the pain is too much. I have lost more since her passing and I struggle so very much with even basic things at times. Some days (like today) I cry and cry, other days I'm OK, but those OK times seem so fleeting. I'm so tired, I'm worn out - I have a lot going on in my life, I just know that things wouldn't be this bad or hard for me if she was still here.

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi SadJo I welcome you to the forums and really sorry for your lost your mother and how much you have struggled since her lost. I to lost my mother about 7 years ago to ovarian cancer and it felt like I had my heart ripped from me.I was her carer for 3 years and when she went felt totally lost and alone after having this hard routine of caring for her. Those tears you shed is remembering wonderful mother you had.I to shed those tears after seven years and wish she was still here as nothing can ever replace your own mother and all those wonderful memories you have that will always be with you.

Take care,

Mark.

geoff
Champion Alumni
Champion Alumni

Hello Jo, my heart opens up to you, I'm just so sorry for you, and it really doesn't matter how long since she has passed away, love keeps your thoughts with her because a hole has been created which you are finding so difficult to fill, we know this but still leaves you in a very sad situation.

I often think how my two sons are going to feel when my time has come, I think they will be just as devastated as how you are feeling, we're very close and no matter how hard I try to prepare them, they won't accept it's going to happen one day.

You're in my thoughts.

Take care.

Geoff.

SadJo
Community Member
Thank you Mark. I too looked after my Mum - took her to all of her appointments, chemo, Dr's, hospital visits, specialist appointments etc. She battled for 4 years but in the end it was too much - she wanted to die at home so I looked after her until the end. I feel like I failed her. She was only 64. I'm haunted by the look in her eyes as she looked at me on her last day, the way she struggled to open her eyes and look at me.

SadJo
Community Member
Thank you Geoff. You are right, there is hole, a huge hole - it's probably best described as a crater. I struggle with depression, have for over 20 years, but the last 7 have seen a downward spiral which cumulated into 2 Mental Health Clinic admissions and a failed SA.

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi SadJo you did such an amazing job looking after your mother.You have not failed your mother in anyway.I remember the last words from my mother and look in her eyes from once such a strong woman.

Take care,

Mark.

ktac1689
Community Member

Striving to survive,

I am so sorry for your loss, losing your mum is tough especially you being so young. Please be kind to yourself, you are going through a lot. 2020 was really hard in general as you said, losing someone so important to you makes it even harder.

Take it easy on yourself, take time to remember the special times you shared with your mum. As you said, grief never goes away. But you will eventually learn to live with the grief. Eventually the pain will not be so sharp and all encompassing. I lost an Aunty to cancer late last year too and the sadness is always there, I know somewhat how you feel. I feel for you.
💜💜💜💜💜

Hi Sweesoft, im really sorry to hear that and pray your future gets easier. I mean you losing parents at an early must have been a really really tough journey and im proud you came through it alive. You are really strong!

thank you for replying:)

hi Sadjo, im glad you came by.

I really feel you on how you say “ "my Mum is worth every tear I shed"... and she really is worth everything”.

its really tough without someone you love so very much. Crying isnt really enough for me. Its a mixture of anger, sadness, irritation and emptiness.

hope things get better.

keeping you in my prayers:)

again thank you for sharing. Its nice to hear some experiences quite similar.

hi, mb20lover,

im sorry for what you have gone through. It really makes me sad how so many people go through similar situations like life really torturing the chosen bunch.
i feel like our grief dont change at all. It stays the same. What changes is us growing stronger around it and learning how to cope it.

wearing my mothers clothes gives me comfort cause its like shes hugging me.

I love animals more than anything, i have like few pets and ofcourse ive had some pet loss. My guinea pig passed away three days ago and one of my cat died three weeks ago. Now i dont want to own anymore pets because all animals give us is love and it hurts alot when that love is no longer present. I am left with three cats and they are like my furry therapists.. just really afraid one day they might leave me.

Thank you for sharing:) helped me understand better.

take care.