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My mum wants to die and it’s all she talks about

(61 Posts)
Betty65 Tue 25-Jan-22 17:26:11

My mum is 89 and is now in a wonderful nursing home. She has vascular dementia and mixed Alzheimer’s although does still have enough mental ability to liaise with others. The dementia, I believe started around 15 years ago but went undetected until a couple of years ago. During these 15 years it’s been very hard - she has been borderline vile on many many occasions which is so hard as my mum was the best mum you could ever have and I loved her dearly. She has lots of illnesses including losing the ability to walk and it seems that she may now have bowel cancer, although she is not aware of this yet. Such a roller coaster. For the past few months her only conversations with me are the same and only about dying. She asks, what will you do when i am dead, you can have some peace when I am dead, I just want to die. Please let me die. These are a only a few of the death conversations but despite my reassurances and trying to change the conversation- we always go back. It’s getting me down and I have to find a way to cope with this as she cannot change. Last night I had a mega panic attack which has prompted this post. Any help gratefully received.

ExDancer Wed 26-Jan-22 18:15:48

My Mum would not accept a doll, she took one look at it and said 'take it away I don't want it I'm not a baby. A doll was the last thing she wanted. She'd have accepted a kitten, but we were afraid of trips and falls.
Sadly she lived till she was 100 and was miserable.

Luckygirl3 Wed 26-Jan-22 18:38:33

Well done Betty.

This is such an important time in your Mum's life and you have had the courage to let her talk about it and make her wishes known. I applaud you. flowers

Marmite32 Wed 26-Jan-22 19:03:35

Betty - I'm nearly as old as your mum so have a similar point of view.
To you daughters, talking about death is, hopefully, about something far away.
To us, it's something more familiar, often thought about. just around the corner. We're not here forever.
Thank God I still have a husband and we often talk about it. He always says we need to go together. So hoping he's not planning a joint car crash.
But I know our oldest daughter, who we see most of, feels the same as you older folk. I daren't tell her how we feel about death, she would crack up.
Perhaps that's the difference with your mother Betty, she seems to have lost the social skill to imagine your feelings.

Marmite32 Wed 26-Jan-22 19:05:45

ps correctiion - you YOUNGER folk.

Betty65 Wed 26-Jan-22 19:29:30

Thanks so much everyone- you have no idea how you have helped me. I found a poignant saying today which I hope helps us all.
Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles - it takes away today’s peace.

Callistemon21 Wed 26-Jan-22 19:45:34

That's lovely, Betty65

Serendipity22 Wed 26-Jan-22 20:04:05

A few have mentioned a doll. That brought back memories if when i was a carer, awwww it was absolutely so lovely.

I went to a new lady and she was in bed ( morning call ) it must have been winter time because i remember the bedroom being pitch black.

I made myself known and asked if i could put the light on, which i did and there in bed with this wonderful lady was a baby NOT A REAL BABY, it was a doll that looks just like a baby.

Anyway, i sat on the edge of her bed as she told me that her 3 children had grown up, married, moves away and she missed them so she bought herself ( maybe 1 of her daughters or granddaughters bought her it ) a baby doll that she could nurse and love.

I almost had tears in my eyes, what a wonderful experience that was for me to witness.

Just thought i would share that with you because when a few Grans had mentioned the doll, it brought that particular experience back to me.

Germanshepherdsmum Wed 26-Jan-22 20:08:04

You sound very kind Serendipity. My Mum loved babies and dolls.

GrannySomerset Sun 30-Jan-22 18:18:23

My DH decided that he had had enough after Christmas and died peacefully in his excellent nursing home. I had agreed with the GP and the home that there would be no intervention and signed the relevant form, and DH had the death we both wanted for him. I am immensely supported by feeling that I did the right thing and that I was brave enough to get him to talk about what he wanted while he was still capable of having such a conversation - not easy but definitely right.

Germanshepherdsmum Sun 30-Jan-22 18:31:51

Well done GrannySomerset. Not easy but definitely the right thing. I hope you find comfort in that.