anniversaries

The Hardest Part Of The Day

Randy Mann1 Comment

Getting up each morning is probably one of the most difficult things to do, especially when we’re walking down the road of grief. What’s this day going to bring? How hard will this one be?

Despite trying to get through each one, the emotional roller-coaster is still there and waiting. As for me, there are days when I think it’s getting better. Then, comes the downside. These lows still strike without mercy and often without warning.

Just within the last month, I went to a restaurant and noticed some chairs in their waiting area. They were exactly the same type as the ones we used on our deck in Idaho. I thought they were an unusual style and would never come across chairs like that anywhere else, so seeing them made that part of the day difficult. But, I got through it. Later on, well, that’s a little different.

Recently, I attended a luncheon that had co-workers who I have not seen in about 20 years. It was wonderful to see them, but they all knew about my situation and gave me their heartfelt words. It took every fiber of my being not to get down. There are other situations that I have written about trying to manage those ups and downs. I know that I probably won’t get off this roller-coaster anytime soon.

With each passing day, I’m realizing that the toughest part is at night trying to get to sleep. Sally and I slept next to one another. Her presence was comforting and warmth was relaxing. In the 33 years together, getting to sleep was rarely an issue. Now, it’s becoming more of a battle. Sometimes the anxiety will come on strong and I just lay there, trying to relax and calm down.

Yes, I’ve had the sleep aids and recommend a doctor’s consent with stuff like that. The dreams come too. I do admit that I like most of them that involve Sally. Unfortunately, I can’t remember too many. But, there are the dreams that trigger the emotional reaction in my sleep which carries over into the next morning. Earlier this week, it took me much of that morning to recover from the previous night.

I’ve heard from others that said they have not dreamed about their spouse or other relatives close to them who have passed. Some people have said that my dreams, at least some of them, are “visits.” Perhaps they are. It’s just getting to sleep and trying to adjust to this “new normal” that is the hard part.

 

Coping With Survivor’s Guilt

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I managed to get through one of the “big dates” of my wife’s passing. March 24 would have been our 34th year together. It feels like you’re standing and cringing as that date approaches. How bad will the first one feel? Who will I get through the day?

The day started off as expected, emotional. But, friends and family came through and helped out, for which I’m extremely grateful. It would have been so easy for me to just stay in bed.

This first wedding anniversary without her made me realize the grief and guilt will not be going away soon. I fully admit that “survivor’s guilt” is a part of the pain and sickness in my gut.

Those two little words, “what if,” still run through my head. A lot of my guilt stems from not forcing my wife, Sally, to go to the doctor, just for annual checkups with she turned 50. I get it when I hear the saying, “you can force a horse to water, but can’t make it drink.” Still, I can’t help but wonder.

For a long time, she was healthier than me. Sally worked out on the elliptical in a room in our house. Her job required her to be on her feet all day long. She ate well, much better than me. Honestly, I set up our insurance and future based on the fact that I would be the one that would leave first. Life threw me and everyone else a massive “blindside.”

The thought that goes through my head is that if I would have been more persistent, this cancer could have been caught early and things would be different. My sister, who is a doctor, tells me that this type of cancer would have likely not made that much difference in terms of the outcome. Logically, I understand. Emotionally, that’s a different story.

I’ll never know if things would have been different. Perhaps not knowing allowed us to live life to its more fullest. We traveled a lot the few years prior to her diagnosis. Maybe her “quality of life” would have been far worse if we did know and went through the long and painful treatments. Regardless, I still wonder “what if.”

This process of grief is relentless. You can run, but you can’t hide. One of the steps I’m trying to work on is “forgiveness,” especially for myself. It’s far from easy. Happiness is something I don’t feel entitled to, at least not now. It’s a matter of trying to be “less sad.”

But, I try to press onward with each day. I try my best to be functional. Making plans for one, two or many months down the road is hard. However, I do make them, just to get some sort of sanity.

Now, I will be bracing for the next two days, her birthday and the one of her passing. I already know the road coming is going to be rough. Again, I’m doing my best.

 

Trying to Get Through Those “Dates”

Randy Mann1 Comment

When one loses their significant other, especially when it’s the love of your life, the emotional roller-coaster becomes even tougher. I’m now going on month 10 since my darling wife left this world. However, this month comes with another date, our anniversary.

I used every bit of willpower to get through the holidays. For those in this situation, does it seem that the holidays go on forever? Now comes the date of our wedding anniversary, then her birthday and one-year marker. I don’t know how others handle it, but this part of the journey feels like I’m “bracing” for the hurricane of dates to come and go.

Many people have said that, “it doesn’t get better, it just gets easier.” I’ve heard so many “dates” on how long before you start to feel better, or at least somewhat functional. The majority have said it’s about a year-and-a-half. I’ve also heard the second year is the worst because you start losing your support group. The other ones go out to three years and I’ve heard of those struggling after five years and longer. Perhaps I can get more insight to this one too.

I read where the dates of anniversaries, birthdays, etc., mark the passage of time in this what I would call an unwanted journey. Prior to this last week, I thought that I could get through the rough time a little easier as I try to prepare and brace myself.

A quick lesson learned as you can never prepare, no matter how hard you try. This last week was one the worst. Trying to escape the overwhelming sadness that will blindside you is not possible. There’s a lot of truth to the saying, “you can run, but you can’t hide.” I’ve been running as fast and as hard as I can, but there’s no hiding.

One way I’m trying to cope is to do things “out of the box,” or out of my comfort zone. I am trying to do what I can to ease the pain, but realize I just have to “sit in it.” But, once the big dates have passed for year number one, I’m going to take a two-week cruise around Europe, something I would have not considered prior to all of this. I don’t expect to feel better overall, however it’s a different environment which makes for a distraction.

The month of May is one of the big “dates.” Her birthday was on May 8 and she passed late on the night of the 24th. Looking back, it’s almost hard to believe that one year is almost here.

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