Anyone else cared for a terminally ill loved one?

[FreedMind]

My mom and I have been taking care of my step father who has been in hospice for a year now. He was diagnosed with cancer about 3 or 4 years ago.

All the emotional stress and fatigue has been weighing on my mom and I especially hard this year. He woke up this morning not feeling very well, and said he felt like he was going to die soon.

I don't experience what his body is going through, and I will ultimately not experience death with him, but I get the sense that by being by his side through this whole thing, I have experienced certain elements of dying, the process of.

It's weighs so heavy on me. I'm only 27 and feel like I look like shyt every day.


Truly, I sympathize with anyone who has undergone something like this in their life. There is no way you're the same after this.

 

[BaggerofTea]

Peace with your family breh

 

[OVER]

In a way I did.

Spoiler: Not a fun story

My mom had stage 2 Ovarian cancer and was supposed to have her battle for atleast 5 years but she lasted a little over 1. She had other things going on with health like she developed a blood clot in her leg. Her cancer spread to her lungs and other parts of her body and she had trouble breathing and she was placed in a medically induced coma to help her but she flatlined and was bought back 4 times. We as a family decided to turn off life support after we were told she had no brain function. I was 27 when she died, I'm 31 but I feel so much older. I typed all this without crying

 

[aXiom]

Yeah, and after going through it, I’d never put my family through that if it were me. Assisted suicide all day. If possible I want to die on my own terms. Watching someone you love wither away is the one of the worst things you’ll experience.

 

[Freedman]

Helped take care of my aunt in hospice because of cancer last year. Very trying experience. Last days are the worst. My aunt went on Hospice in like September and ended up Dying the first week December. Thanksgiving was her last good day the next week she couldn't/didn't talk anymore and it was basically a waiting game. Last day was soul crushing she did the death rattle thing all day before eventually going

 

[Heafcliffe]

Yeah, my maternal grandfather. Cancer.

Man was a cool cat. Enjoyed his ripple everyday cuz he knew his time was near. Remember him vividly being move to hospice care as he fought for each and every breath. THAT is what got me.

Miss gramps, b.

 

[FreedMind]

Stepdad is still with us, but his decline is quite apparent. Mentally, only slightly noticeable, but physically he can hardly do anything for himself. He actually needed my mom to feed him and brush his teeth yesterday.

He basically said his goodbye today, and I'm trying to hold back the tears until i can be alone.

He voiced his frustration today. "I used to be so active, so physically capable, and now, I can't do anything."

Death is so heavy.

 

[Yinny]

Yeah

 

[Redwood]

Stepdad is still with us, but his decline is quite apparent. Mentally, only slightly noticeable, but physically he can hardly do anything for himself. He actually needed my mom to feed him and brush his teeth yesterday.

He basically said his goodbye today, and I'm trying to hold back the tears until i can be alone.

He voiced his frustration today. "I used to be so active, so physically capable, and now, I can't do anything."

Death is so heavy.

Damn man