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Imisshersomuch Asked March 15, 2024

How am I supposed to accept what’s happened? She needed me and I failed her, how do I live with this?

My mum was sick most of her adult life with multiple cancers that she was assumed to live for a maximum 6 weeks on the worst one that strangely she pulled through and lived another 10+ years. She had Lambert Eaton disease and Myasthenia Gravis among other illnesses. She had part of her lungs removed from other diseases, etc. She was constantly sick, constantly in and out of hospitals. There was never a period of more than 8 weeks where she wasn’t in an ambulance. Sometimes she seemed like she was stronger than you could imagine and others you could tell that she was so frail. Not once did she ever give up. She had a winning attitude at everything nothing could keep her down at least that’s what she convinced everyone she had 9 lives nothing could stop her even being disabled and unable to walk or breathe or make food or wash herself. She still didn’t give up. On her final period she had a heart attack and surgery and still got back home. She was then getting infection after infection and waking up screaming my name, that she was dying and to help. I couldn’t handle it. I retreated to my room and allowed her to sit alone most days even though I’d pop in and ask how she was. It wasn’t enough. I’d cook, clean, wash her, etc., but I didn’t do enough. Most days she was just sat in front of a TV by herself despite me being in the same house as her. I don’t want to make any excuses for myself but I’m struggling with life. I have personality disorders and I’m on antipsychotics. Her very final week she woke up screaming my name telling me, “I’m dying, I’m dying. Help!” I ran in and I couldn’t handle it I shouted at her and not as gentle as I normally would. I picked her out of bed and rushed her to the bathroom shouting at her she needs to stop this she’s not dying etc. she was slumped on the toilet struggling after that I did the same into the living room where she spent most of her days on a couch alone I kept shouting at her she told me she couldn’t breath and she was dying. That day I didn’t give her oxygen didn’t check her stats didn’t sit with her didn’t make her a wee coffee nothing by the time I woke up again she was already leaving with the ambulance and I never got the chance to speak to her properly again. She died some days later and I can’t feel her anymore I really need her to give me a sign before she goes forever how am I supposed to live with the way I treated her on her final moments I was just angry and scared I solo cared for her for years watched her decline listened to her struggles took her to appointments etc. I was angry and didn’t know how to handle it I was depressed and instead of making more effort with her I gave up and did the bare minimum. She deserved so much more. My best friend is gone forever and I miss her so much. I’m not even grieving in a negative manner, I just realize what I could have done better and I need to live with these realizations. I know 99.9% of us would do differently if we could foresee the future but unfortunately we don’t get that opportunity. Every day I’d make sure she was fed washed had her oxygen took her meds etc. but I never spent time with her despite being in the same house. All because I’m socially awkward I don’t really know how to talk to people not even my own mum and it always made me feel horrible. It’s just a horrible realization that I COULD have did more for her. I have texts from her over a few month period where she was sending me hints as to her leaving and I didn’t even watch the little videos she sent me until she passed because I buried my head. Some of our last messages she told me how brave I was and how much she was proud of me and she knew how much I loved her and she’ll always love me no matter what. It’s hard I haven’t felt her presence yet, it’s only been a little over 24 hours. I just thought she’d have visited me by now.

Dawn88 Mar 17, 2024
Grief is very hard. See a counselor or join a group. Everyone who looses a loved one goes thru it, there are stages. It is the cycle of life. Once you go thru it, you learn. But it's really a hard process. Don't feel guilty over something you can't control. Your Mom's health was just that.

Then you will reboot and have your memories. You are young and will make more. Honor Mom by having the best life you can.

AlvaDeer Mar 15, 2024
I would run, not walk, to someone who does counseling in grief process.
Your feelings given what happened are absolutely valid. You need help in managing them.
What we intellectually know doesn't often help when we are grieving.
Complicated grieving is such a problem that it is now a diagnosis in the current DSM-5. This makes insurance coverage easier for getting the help you need.

I am so sorry for your grief.
You already know the facts. You cared for your mother for a long time, and quite selflessly. It is hubris to believe you could be a god, a Saint, could not have moments that you went beyond your breaking points.
Your mother had years of dreadful suffering that were your burden to watch and grieve and your anticipatory grief had to be dreadful for some time.

Please get the expert help you need now so that you can move on to living the quality life your mother would want for you. Again, I am so sorry for your loss. I do not know what your faith-based beliefs are, but I do know that wherever your Mom is now, she recognizes well the years of selfless dedication and the loving care you gave her. Did you have moments when you were broken by it? Yes. That means you are a human being with your own limitations.

My heart goes out to you. I am grateful your mother is finally at rest and at peace.
swmckeown76 Mar 15, 2024
If the writer attends a church, temple, synagogue, or mosque, s/he can and should also seek counseling from one of the clergy there. This does not mean s/he should seek counseling from a mental health professional as well. One of the priests at my church studied counseling (over and above the courses required in seminary).

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notgoodenough Mar 15, 2024
Someone with the health issues you have should NEVER have been expected to be - or even ASKED to be - a full time caregiver for someone who had the terrible illnesses your mom had. Even people who are in robust health - physically and mentally - would have struggled to take on the job that caring for your mom had become. It was COMPLETELY unreasonable for any of the medical professionals looking after your mom to think that you could do all of it alone with no support. In fact, if there was ever a total failure of a medical team to arrange for care for a patient, this is it!

Clearly, you loved your mom very much, and by your description she loved you too. You need to forgive yourself, because I'm sure your mom would have forgiven you. You did the best you could under truly awful circumstances, and all the angels in the heavens can expect no more than that from any of us.

You have my deepest sympathies for your loss and your pain.
Hothouseflower Mar 15, 2024
I couldn’t agree more.
TopsailJanet Mar 15, 2024
Please forgive yourself. I think you need to talk to a counselor to work through your grief and regrets. Despite your self recrimination, you did the best you could possibly do and better than most of us. Your mom loves you and understands. I am near the end with my mom, and despite being the most sweet and cooperative patient I could imagine, I look back on so many days I left her alone in front of the TV or in her bed while I busied myself elsewhere. I couldn’t do better, though. Just the stress of being on watch 24-7, not being able to live my own life, wore me down. I don’t make easy conversation and she had lost her gift for it, and I could not entertain or amuse her. But I have compassion for myself and my failings and I know she understands and forgives. She raised me after all.
Imisshersomuch Mar 15, 2024
I know everyone grieves differently but I honestly don’t feel like I’m grieving I accept she’s no longer in pain I’m happy for that but you can’t replace something so meaningful and life genuinely just doesn’t feel worth it anymore. I’m not even suicidal I just long to be with her again. I know she’d be mad at me for that but I also know she’d forgive me. It’s just tough because I know she’d want me to get up get strong and make her proud it’s just how do you do that when your everything has been taken away she died so so fast. And the fact she survived everything else and it was a lower respiratory infection mixed with her Myasthenia / lambert Eaton that killed her it’s just not something I can believe. It’s almost impossible for me to accept
Hothouseflower Mar 15, 2024
I'm sorry for your loss. You did the best you could in a difficult situation. You need to get some professional help to help you handle your grieving and to help you figure out how to begin to live your life. I'm also sorry for your ex-wife, this situation must have been horrible for her to live through too.
Imisshersomuch Mar 15, 2024
I haven’t been home since she died except once and it was alone as I don’t have any family left. I stayed for around half an hour and collapsed to the floor basically screaming please come back I need you just for a little while I’ll make a coffee and talk to you then you can go and be at peace I just need to speak to you and feel you. But she didn’t show herself I couldn’t feel her. And I left. Ever since I’ve been sat in the car at the water just watching the world go by with the knowledge that my best friend is gone forever and the void that she’s left behind I can’t fix it. My heart isn’t even hurting it’s literally gone like it left with her when she died I don’t feel like it’s there anymore as crazy as that sounds my entire body is broken my muscles are so tight they keep cramping and I keep getting stitches and I’m so scared to fall asleep that I haven’t slept since it happened and a few days prior to it. I don’t know why but the day before she died I cleared out all the cupboards and washed her pjs for her and stuff I thought it was because she was coming home but maybe deep down I knew she wasn’t I don’t know all I know is my best friend is gone forever

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