Kase, I'm not sure what advice I can give because I'm not sure that I'm coping with my Mum's terminal cancer very well. But I did just want to say that you are doing a fabulous job and have every right to feel overwhelmed. The horrible part of cancer is that it can be a long and exhausting journey. Giving so much of yourself is a beautiful way to support your parents, but it's impossible to sustain over the long term without impacting you, your health and your life. My mum has had cancer on and off for 4.5 years. During that time I have spent countless hours at hospital with her, doing various things for her, generally caring for her (and my dad). I'm getting married in 2 weeks and that has consumed my life recently. We planned it at short notice to maximize chances of mum being there. In the midst of that I'm working and generally trying to maintain the life of a normal 27 year old. Today my Dad told me that I'm not spending enough time with Mum and his comment broke me. I guess I'm saying all of this to both you and to myself. As caregivers, we can only give and do so much. We still have our own lives to lead. It sounds like you have been the absolute rock for your family, and now it's time to prioritize yourself for a bit. Let your sister help a little more if she can. Find out what services you could connect your parents with. Anything to remove some of the caring burden from yourself. Hearing my personal rant may not be what you need, but I hope it helps to know that someone else understands where you are at. And for the record, you're doing amazingly.
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