When a Parent is Terminally Ill
My mother lost her own mother to cancer when she was 9 years old. 4 of my mother's siblings have died of cancer and one of my cousins was also diagnosed with cancer. Last year, I had my own cancer scare. Thank God, it was not as bad as I thought. To date, though, I still get quarterly tests.
It's not that I am afraid of the disease. More than anything else, I am afraid that if the cancer does progress and my body is not able to fight it, my children will grow up without me.
I know they would cope but I cannot even begin to try to imagine how much it would hurt and scare them if I do get sick. I hope that it would never happen.
I hope that I would not have to deal with something which Aimee and Jim Chamernik are dealing with right now.
"How, they wondered, do you tell a child that his mom is dying?"
Telling your kids about your terminal illness is something that no one should have to go through. Sadly, many have/had to face this kind of situation.
Let's hope that with all the advances in science and technology, they would find a cure to illnesses which rob many children of their parents.
January 31st, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Actually, it’s not an easy thing to hear your parent is dying, no matter how old you are. Though, obviously, the challenges are different when there is a child involved.
February 2nd, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Definitely find a support group if you can. They seem to have them for pretty much any crisis you might be facing … and they help a lot of people.
February 27th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
As a terminally ill mother I know it is hard, but I have met other parents in similar circumstances through Inheritance of Hope (http://inheritanceofhope.org). We share resources, tools, and encouragement. It might be a blessing to you, too.