CynthiaWVirginia
Posts: 1915
Joined: 2/28/2010 From: West Virginia, USA Status: offline
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It wasn't my mother, by my neighbor and dear friend needed my daily care when she got cancer and it took her almost a year to die. She passed away two Dec. 24ths ago. It took me a year to feel half way normal again as my entire life had revolved around serving her, and seeing to it that she was as comfortable and as entertained as was possible. I still felt that nothing I did had been enough, and when I looked back on that time all I saw were the times I failed her by mistake. I almost went to my family doctor and asked for some anti-depressants to get through it...if you need to do this, it's okay. Do what you can to get through this time and take care of yourself. Grieving cannot be hurried, but takes it's own time. Be kind to yourself, force some happy things into your life daily even if it is only a stroll and looking at flowers and clouds and flowers in supermarkets. It's okay to cry and to miss her so very much. It is okay to feel lost, too. These feelings are temporary and will fade over time until memories you have of her will feel like...a hug. You had happy times with her...she would want you to remember these about her as well, not just the terrible time you both went through before she had to leave you. I needed time to grieve, and then to take my life back again where it was my OWN life. I had almost forgotten how to do that. When I woke up, somehow I thought it was time to play with Carin's dogs, or go mow Carin's grass...when I was in stores, I almost put the things she could eat into my grocery cart...when I saw books, I almost bought more to read out loud to Carin. You might be like me, and have all these memories coming up every few moments at first. I cannot even blow bubbles without remembering the time I visited Carin and blew them all in the air over her blanket, watching her face when they popped and she asked if I smelled grape (the bubbles were grape flavored). When she passed, I missed her so much...and at the same time I hated myself for being so glad that it was finally over. I hated walking into that nursing home every single day. The smell in the air made me nauseated. The first Christmas a day after her death was horrible. The next one was too. I couldn't get into the spirit at all. This year...I will. We are going to have a good Christmas this year because I know I am finally up to it. Someone here at CM who used to come into the message boards, bearly2001, helped me recognise and visualize something that helped me get through survivor's guilt. I had been having especially evil panic attacks that I had never had before. I have had cancer and still have my portacath in and have to get shots of heparin about every 6 weeks to keep it unclogged, and...I can taste the heparin. With these panic attacks, suddenly I tasted the heparin and had intense nausea at the same time. The trigger? My red roses were all in bloom and Carin preferred me to bring her those in the hospital instead of store bought ones. I was to look at her picture and say, "I did the best for you, my friend" and did this several times per day, every day whenever I started feeling guilty or depressed...and from that day I didn't get any more nausea spells. People can help you through this time. Turn to them. This is one of the support group sites that bearly2001 found for me. Nobody will understand your pain better than ones who are going through it themselves. http://www.dailystrength.org/support-groups For a list of online support groups. I would suggest the bereavement group (12,436 members), and the family and friends of cancer patients one. I did not see one for survivor's guilt. This is the link for the bereavement group: http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Bereavement/support-group After my sister-in-law's hubby died, her family doctor put her on some meds for a few months to help her deal with the grief. Everyone needs help sometimes...don't be afraid to turn to them and ask. My favorite aunt died this January...and I am making a memory book for her daughter, my cousin who is more like a little sister to me. I have never made a pretty scrap book of memories before, and I am doing it to honor her so that details of happy memories are not slowly erased by time. Visit her grave, talk to her like she can still hear you and spill out everything...bring flowers or whatever you need to do. I used to chew my stepfather out a little once he was gone, and with Carin, I bring flowers, light insence (she liked that), bought candles of her favorite smell...lily of the valley. Some days, all I do is stand silent and blow grape smelling bubbles over the grass. Hang in there. You are supposed to feel insane right now...it means that you loved her and miss her a lot. Everyone should be so lucky as to be loved so much that they are dearly missed when they are gone. She was lucky to have you for her child. (Now go get some help...she wouldn't want to see you suffering so much.)
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