To ask the hardest thing you have ever been through

Rather not think about it.

I watched my darling mum suffer horribly for almost 8 years after a stroke. She lost everything that made her life worth living. It is pure hell seeing a loved one suffer.

My daughter’s death. Learning how quickly and unexpectedly life can turn upside down. It shook me to my core and has made me so fearful for my other children. It doesn’t take much before I am imagining the worst.

I just want to give everyone a virtual hug. I'm so sorry 😞 xx

Losing multiple friends in the same car accident as a teen. The trauma isn't something I can comprehend years and years later, it is shut off.

Chasing a conviction against the man who abused me as a child. The court system is not there to protect the victim, it dragged on and on and on, and ruined my life for a time. Thankfully life is much nicer now.

I'm sorry to hear of everyone's pain 💔

Craftymadre you are so right.

My father died by suicide when I was 17. I'm 47 now - the age he was - and it's never left me, it's never not affected everything. And never will stop affecting everything. For me, my siblings and my mother.

Watching my mother descend into multi organ failure for the third time and ultimately a painful death after a 30 year alcohol habit - a habit that destroyed my teenage years and made me a distrusting person who doesn’t feel I deserve anything. My father who I had hoped we could find some peace together after her death had actually been having an affair and he moved his mistress into the family home after 8 weeks. She was an utter bitch who made it clear my family and my brother were not welcome in their lives and my father, being used to being told what to do all his life by my mother just sat back and allowed her to drive a wedge. Ive also lost my father, not spoken to him for almost 10 years.

It was life shattering at the time, I’m fine now but it genuinely took years to get over.

I’m sorry you’re feeling like this, it must be tough for you.

Divorce is the second most stressful thing you can go through, with the loss of a loved one being top. It wasn’t until my mid 20’s that I experienced the loss of a close family member, which was my grandmother. After that, we had several losses in the family and not through old age.

My dad died by drowning and my brother and nephew both died fighting in a war (14yrs apart). I don’t think you ever get over the loss of a loved one, but when they go so violently like that, it certainly leaves a mark. Grief from death seems to radiate outwards - it causes depression, family fall outs and other issues. And those that don’t experience loss like that can’t really understand.

My beautiful, gentle, kind, clever teenage son developed severe anxiety, agoraphobia, paranoia, mania and eventually psychosis, and was sectioned for 3 months aged 17. He was diagnosed with bipolar 1 and then schizoaffective disorder.

A year after he was discharged, and his mental health had started to improve a bit, he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, following a routine blood test which he had because of being on anti-psychotics.

My son's life is very, very hard. My life is hard because his life is hard. I can only work part time. I can't switch off the part of my brain that is constantly worrying about his cancer or him going into mania again. Or both.

Oh my goodness. I read the first post and started mentally composing my reply but mine pales into insignificance against what I've just read. I'm so sorry for all your hard times

I spent years taking medication for a serious health condition that meant I couldn’t get pregnant. Got better and came off the medication just in time to find out that I was now infertile.

One of my best friends is currently dying. It’s so hard. Only diagnosed new year’s day. Today we spoke about her ashes will be scattered on the coast and she will always be there. Three of us crying outside the hospital. Three newborns passed us, on their way home. The cycle of life and death, she only has weeks at best. Everything has been turned upside down. Practically too as I have her dog.

@Rainbowgrey @Noshowlomo @rainythursdayontheavenue

All deaths are painful , but I cannot imagine anything worse than the loss of a child . xxx

DH developed cancer and died when our sons were still at primary school. It's a long time ago - my DC are grown men, but I still miss him. He was my great love and we were very happy.

Telling my children we had lost our home completely out of the blue due to their fathers addictions and becoming instantly homeless
Then having to collect them early from respective friends houses 8 years later to tell them he had passed away suddenly again due to his addictions.
Holding them together as the impact has affected them for the rest of their lives

These stories are incredibly sad , so sorry for everyone's losses

Im so so sorry 💔

My Son being stillborn

My Dad dying from liver cancer (brutally) - his liver failed and the pain meds didn't work at the end. I'm not sure I'll ever recover from his last week of life.

My Mum trying to take her own life when I was 13. She came downstairs, sat at the kitchen table and said I've taken an overdose. Fortunately she survived.

Bil killed in accident otherside of the world. Just a year after fil had passed suddenly. It followed a string of other deaths . We did get through it but it was hard. Sometimes life just sucks but many other times make up for it

Finding my beloved brother dead last summer. It's changed me as a person and I'll never get over it.

I was widowed a decade ago - nursed him through having a brain tumour. 15 months of illness during which I lost all sight of the man I loved, as he became confused, agitated and violent. We had two toddlers (now teen/pre teen) and in the end he had to be put under a deprivation of liberty order (sort of like being sectioned, but it wasn't a mental illness). Then he died.

It has changed me forever. Even though I look like I have rebuilt my life now.

@Noshowlomo @Rainbowgrey

Sincere condolences to you both 💐💐