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I am 43m and my mom was 74. After my dad passed away 15 years ago I made a 2nd home out of their basement and moved in to help take care of everything. I had only had my own place for 2 yrs before I came back. Since then, my mom and I have been inseparable. I am engaged now, have been for 7yrs, and my mom and fiancé loved each other as well. My mom was cursed with just overall bad health. For last several years battling degenerative disc disease, arthritis, tiredness, IBS, etc. Nothing life threating, but all add up to make someone miserable. I have been doing all the house cleaning, shopping, everything, and I didn't mind it at all because my mom was the most precious woman with the biggest heart ever. Last Friday she complained about her side hurting really bad when I went up to see her at 9:30am. This is the same side she fell and hit a few months back and bruised a rib. I took her to the ER at that time (a few months ago) and after a horrible night they sent her home with no help, but even in more pain from laying on a horrible mattress. I asked her if she wanted to go to ER and she begged me not to take her just let her rest. I checked on her at 11am and 1pm and both times she was lying in bed trying to get comfortable. I told her I would be back at 3pm and if she was still hurting we HAD to go to hospital. I was so tired I fell asleep on the sofa and woke up at 3:30pm. Figuring I would go upstairs and be heading to ER. When I came up my precious momma was laying back on the bed with her legs off the side like she had been sitting up. She had blood all over her nightgown, leg, and mouth, and had passed. This has destroyed me! All I keep thinking is if I had forced her to go to the ER, or if I had not dozed off, I could have helped her and she would still be here. Even though she was miserable, battling depression, in pain all the time, and ready to go “home" to be with our Lord and family, I know she didn't want to leave me and I feel I completely failed her and just let her die. I have no idea how to shake this feeling. We talked every morning before I went to work, sometimes around lunch, and I went upstairs to see her every afternoon when I got home, and then talked 1 or 2 times after that at night. My mom was my routine and although a squeezed a couple things for myself in here and there she was my life. I can’t even stand being in my home because of not hearing her footsteps upstairs anymore. The silence is deafening. I walk upstairs and my brain can't even process her not being there. Of course sometimes I had thoughts of what it would be like when she was gone and I would no longer have the responsibility, and now I feel guilty for having those thoughts and would give everything to have her back. I did everything for her and feel like I completely failed her in the end. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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Your Mom was 74. You say that after you dad's death 15 years ago you moved in with your Mom.
This would have made her only 59 years old at that time.
She did have some issues, but at 81 I have been dealing with IBS for most of my life; the bad back I have comes of a nursing career of heavy lifting. Neither has stopped me living a full life and taking care of myself. I would not need a daughter moving in now even at 81 years of age.
So it seems that your moving in with mom was a choice. Which is FINE.
As that was your choice--both of your choices--you then lived very close to one another and very entwined/enmeshed; you were very involved in her care and her medical issues which I think made you feel overly responsible for them, as they are nothing you caused, nor could cure. They were nothing for you to feel guilty about.

The best MDs in the world would not have recommended a trip to ER for what your mother complained of.
With a bad back she was spending her nights on a bad mattress, a combo that COULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED to cause some issues. She told you of the problem. You were watching her. And then, unexpectedly, she died.
I do not know if autopsy was done, nor what it showed, but the presence of a lot of blood indicates hemorrhage from somewhere, and it would likely have occurred for her in care or out of it, and she may or may not have survived it even in an emergency room. It sounds like a catastrophic event.

Your mother has been ill and in pain for a long time, and has expressed honestly to you her willingness, (and I would imagine) her wish to be at peace. She passed suddenly without the time to even call you. I consider that swift passage, somewhat a blessing, that avoided pain, struggle and fear before a final outcome of death.

You have nothing to be sorry for. You were always there for your mom and you had a loving relationship she treasured.
Grief counselors tell us that we often sink into things like anger, blame (even self-blame) in order to avoid the finality of grieving the REAL AND FINAL LOSS of someone we love. That it is almost as though our being able to blame a doctor, a nurse, a hospital, even ourselves, could change the final outcome and we could do it differently and the outcome would not be that we must face grief.
But in the end we must face grief. The only way out of it is through it.
I beg you not to negate all the loving care, all the times you were there for her, all the devotion, all the extra time you gave her by suggesting that you caused her death, because you didn't.

If you need professional help with your grieving, do consider that. But meanwhile know that much of what you are feeling is normal to feel, and this is a process you must go through. You have a good life ahead of you that your mother would want for you. You will always have her with you in your heart and as someone with a loving mom lost many years ago (I am 81) I can assure you of that. And you have many good memories and a lot of love to celebrate in the future in happy memories.

When my brother died it was a comfort to me to write to him in a diary, to decorate it, to discuss this kind of feeling with him, and happy memories. I did that for about a year. It really helped me. I recommend giving it a try. My heart goes out to you. Your mother would want your happiness.
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Daryle Jan 3, 2024
Thank you so much for your wonderful reply! It has has helped. Today is day 5, I and I am still struggling bad with coming to terms with the reality that my mom is gone. Every morning I wake up and everytime I come back home it's like it has hit me all over again. I know it is only 5 days, but I do not know if grieving this bad 5 days out is still normal or not. I may seek out a grief counselor tomorrow and schedule an appt. To clarify, I didn't go into this much detail in my original post, but my dad (who was 15yrs older than my mom) was diagnosed with dementia and I originally moved in to help her. She was struggling lifting on him and what not, since I am a fairly large guy it was much easier for me. Unfortunate my precious mom started battling health problems so early in life. Her disc disease started in her 40's. I took her to orthopedic surgeon a couple times and they wouldn't even touch her back. Her IBS was with constipation. She took linzess and metamucil daily, but anytime she tried a prescription pain medicine, it would cause severe constipation. Seems like she was always dang if you do, dang if you don't. I lost dogs in the past that I treated and felt like they were my kids, I lost my dad, and my grandpa, whom I were close to. Those all together do not compare to this. I am a man of faith and believe I will see my precious mom again. But gasping that I have to love the rest of this life without her is tearing me apart. God bless you and thank you!
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You've had a terrible shock and are understandably deep in grief, I'm sorry.
The harsh reality is that death most often isn't the pretty scene portrayed in movies, but I hope you can take some comfort in the fact she had to have known you were there for her and that the end was obviously sudden, not a long drawn out affair. 🤗
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I’m so sorry for your loss. That must have been a horrible shock. Your mom was lucky to have you, and you did nothing wrong. There were many times my mom had to go to the ER and we put it off because she dreaded the hours of waiting and discomfort. You had no way of knowing that something life threatening was happening.

Also, please don’t feel guilty for the times you thought about having your freedom back. My mom is still here and I think about it all the time. Caregiving is a huge commitment and I think anyone who says they never think about not having that responsibility any longer is lying.

Treasure the wonderful relationship you had with your mom, and enjoy your future with your fiancé. There will be lot of grieving, but know that you did the very best you could which was a blessing for mom. (((Hugs))).
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Daryle Jan 3, 2024
Thank you so much for such a beautiful reply. It's day 5 and I'm still struggling bad. I only had 1 major breakdown/crying/yelling session today when I got back to "our" home. I'm not sure of still feeling this bad 5 days in is "normal" or not, but I'm considering getting grief counseling. Every time I wake up and come home it's like a shock all over again that she is gone. God bless you!
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My deepest condolences to you. Your mother is beyond all pain and suffering now and has gone to the Good Place.

You did nothing wrong. Even if she had gone to the hospital, there's no guarantee that they would have been able to stop or prevent her death.
Death comes for us all, It was your mother's time.

It's still so recent and you haven't gotten over the shock of it yet. Give yourself a break here and a rest. Your fiance can help you. Your family and friends can too. What you need now is people around you. That always helps.
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You did all you could.
I guess the good thing, other than she in no longer in pain and discomfort she died at home, in her home, in her bed (and you made that possible by the care that you provided) not in the hospital with tubes attached and strangers around her.
I am sorry for your loss.
For you to have cared so deeply she must have been a kind and wise mom. For that you are lucky as not all have that privilege.
Now it is time to take care of yourself and your fiancé and get on with your lives I am sure she would have wanted that for you both.
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You speak as a woman of faith--and so let that faith guide you in the coming days.

Your mom was ready to go. I doubt that extra half hour of sleep would have made one bit of difference to the outcome. Please don't beat yourself up.

Mom still exists. Pray for courage, pray to have peace. Mom is out of pain and in a place where she doesn't have to BE in pain.

My mom died while no one was home with her. It was a shock, but she went the way she wanted to go. I couldn't have wished for a calmer passing.

I know that seeing blood & what seemed like a painful death--probably wasn't. More scary, right?

My heart hurts for you. Having lost both my parents I can be grateful they are together with THEIR folks--and I know they are still alive..spiritually.

Blessings to you as you come to terms with this. You absolutely did not fail her, don't even think that!
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I'm sitting here, crying for you. So very sorry for your loss.
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So sorry for your loss. Sending you a bear hug. You are a good daughter, please do not second guess what happened. It was her time.
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You are grieving , you did nothing wrong at all. You went over and above for years . You had no way of knowing what was wrong . Your mother was an adult and decided to wait and see .

This sounds like an event that very likely would have had the same outcome no matter where she was . A trip to the ER was not a guarantee she would have survived . Or if she had even survived, her quality of life would have been extremely poor. She had already expressed she wanted to go “ home “ . Mom most likely would have preferred a quick exit the way she had it , rather than a prolonged death for you to have to witness .

You were very enmeshed with your mother . I believe grief counseling as well as other professional therapy would be of help .
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<(((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))
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