This summer my world came crashing down that my beloved Nan had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was given an estimated 3-6 months to live, the blow was somewhat harder due to the fact that my Nan is my third grandparent to be diagnosed with cancer. It sucks.
The strength my Nan has shown though throughout this is inspiring! She opted not to have chemotherapy because as she said herself, she wants to have her last few months with her family and not in hospital with tubes coming out of her. I spent as much time as I could during the summer with my Nan and I even helped her tick some of the things from her bucket list! She initially wanted to kiss a dolphin but as we live in the UK and she cannot fly, our possibilities were limited and so we instead arranged for her to have a meet and greet with a sea-lion at Knowsley Safari Park near Liverpool and she was made up! My Nan had absolutely no idea what was going on and thought we were simply going on a day out- the look on her face was priceless and one that I will treasure for a life time.
I've shed many a tear since the diagnosis but I have never once seen my Nan cry or moan about the situation she is in, she has simply accepted the situation she is in and is getting on with her life as normally as she can! I'm so proud of how much strength she is showing.
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During my childhood my Nan looked after me whilst my parents were working and I spent a lot of time at her house during the summer. We baked, we went on country walks, we looked at old photographs of my parents and I will always look back on those childhood summers with one of those warm fuzzy feelings.
It will be somewhat of a blow when my Nan passes and I think the notion of somebody being diagnosed with Cancer is an odd one because you know it is going to happen but you're not sure when. You don't know if the hug you just gave somebody will be your last. You never know which will be your last phone call. I don't know, its just something that I have really struggled with getting my head around all of the times that I have been confronted with such a diagnosis.
Have any of your loved ones ever been diagnosed with cancer? How did you come to terms with it?
This is a lovely post <3 my granddad died of cancer when I was younger but I wasn't told he was dying until the day before :/ so it would be different coming to terms with it now I think. Your nan sounds like a strong lovely character :) xx
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It broke my heart reading your lovely post about your Nan, what a brave lady she is!!! Unfortunately I lost my Dad to lung cancer in 2008, he was 59 years young :'( he was diagnosed in the January and within a month or so of this we were told it was terminal. He passed away on the 4th December that same year (5 years ago tomorrow) and it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with in my life. Its a surreal experience being told that you are inevitably going to lose them, but its important for you to try and use the time to cherish every moment you have with them rather then dwell on the incredible sadness that accompanies it. Take time to reflect on happy times with them and where possible keep making happy memories. I'm still grieving for my Dad, and guess I always will be, but I cope with it by ensuring that as soon as I start dwelling on the sadness too much, I turn it round and start thinking about all the happy times we shared :) I very often end up smiling about him rather then feeling sad about him and I think that's the greatest way to honour someone you've loved and lost.
ReplyDeleteI know its hard but try and keep as positive and as happy as you can be for your Nan :) it will keep her spirits up and ensure that the time you have left is something you will both cherish. Sending you much love and (((hugs))) xx
Thank you both for your kind words, it really does mean a lot! <3 xx
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