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My husband died suddenly today

478 replies

vickibee · 06/07/2021 01:57

And I don’t know what to do. It has not sunk in yet and I only know it happened at work around noon.
I don’t know if there is anyone up to talk to I just feel I need some human contact

OP posts:
Chachachawoo · 06/07/2021 07:20

So very sorry for your terrible loss.
He sounds like a great man, and you sound like a lovely person too.
I lost my father when I was young and although I missed him and still miss him, my mum was "enough" I had a happy childhood/teenage life.
I hope you can find the strength to get through each bit of the difficult days ahead.
I am sending love and wish you strength.

skodadoda · 06/07/2021 07:31

@vickibee

She wore a mask and had negative LFT.

Another point is no wills , you just don’t think about it do you?

You were married, everything should automatically come to you. Just being practical, you need to make a will.
MadisonAvenue · 06/07/2021 07:32

I’m so sorry, sending lots of love to you and your son Flowers

iamthankful · 06/07/2021 07:33

I'm so sorry for you loss. Thinking of you x

GlutenFreeGingerCake · 06/07/2021 07:35

Sorry to hear your sad news. Your DH sounds like a lovely guy and he led an interesting life. It must be so hard for you and D S Flowers

JackieQueen · 06/07/2021 07:36

So sorry for your loss,Flowers

MegaCityOne · 06/07/2021 07:36

What a profound shock. I’m so sorry Flowers

When you’re ready, perhaps do a now and next board with your son. There are lots of resources for ASD to explain sudden loss and grief. Ask one of the family to research social stories about death, funerals and emotional support. We have supported our son with ASD in a similar way to attend a funeral and grieve for a family member.

Igmum · 06/07/2021 07:39

So sorry for your loss 💐

jessycake · 06/07/2021 07:39

So sorry for you and your family , its such a shock for you , I can only give you a virtual hug and I am glad you have got some family to help you through this time x

Beetlebum1981 · 06/07/2021 07:44

@vickibee I'm so sorry for your loss. I think everything is opening up as of 19th so you should be able to have a 'normal' funeral.
Having read all your posts your husband sounds like he was such a lovely man.

I would contact your FSW when you are able to and press the need for counselling for your DS. I'd also push school school on the matter - I work in a primary school and we've recently paid for private counselling for a few pupils who are really in need of it. As others have said Winston's Wish may be able to provide support.

I can't begin to imagine how you are feeling, take things one step at a time and if needed get signed off work do that you can be there for your son.

Dontjudgeme101 · 06/07/2021 07:45

Vicki, l am so sorry for your loss. Thinking of you and your son. 💐💐

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 06/07/2021 07:49

@vickibee - I am so sorry for your and your son's loss. I hope you've managed to get a wee bit of sleep. I'm glad your sister came to see you. May your dear husband, who sounds a fabulous man, Rest in Peace. Flowers

TheABC · 06/07/2021 07:54

Hug and handhold here. I am sorry for your loss.

SuperSange · 06/07/2021 07:56

I'm so sorry for your loss; how is your son at the moment? ThanksThanks

Northernlurker · 06/07/2021 07:57

You can already have larger numbers at a funeral. It's guided by the space in the venue. After 19/7 you should be ok to have an unlimited number.

I don't know if anybody has mentioned this but I would expect you have to have a post mortem so that will delay you a day or two. Sometimes people feel they should have known about whatever shows up in post mortem. It's important to remember though that you had no opportunity to prevent this. Sometimes people just die suddenly. It's a huge shock but could not have been anticipated.

If you are in Barnsley Dan Jarvis may be your mp. He knows about losing a spouse, he was left with two little children.

theSliceOfPie · 06/07/2021 08:01

So sorry op Thanks

Coniferhedge · 06/07/2021 08:01

So sorry for your loss. Sending love to you and your son. Flowers

Cheekychops73 · 06/07/2021 08:01

I am so very sorry for you and your sons loss. Xxx

beigebrownblue · 06/07/2021 08:01

very sorry for your loss.
If you are not up to anything else, do try to have a glass of
water by your side and keep your fluids up.

Jasminesmellingcandles · 06/07/2021 08:05

OP I am so sorry for your and DS’s loss.
I just don’t have the words right now that are going to make this better.
Use us and keep posting if it helps 🌺

HollyGoLoudly1 · 06/07/2021 08:05

I'm so sorry for your loss Flowers Keep talking as much/little as you need, we're all here.

HeartIess · 06/07/2021 08:11

I’m so sorry op

My son also has ASD and this is my biggest fear because - you know what those children are like. They really do love with all their hearts.

You sound like you have a supportive family around you and I hope that you will find comfort in that. Flowers

M0rT · 06/07/2021 08:12

I am so sorry sorry for your loss.
I think he would have known well you loved him, we don't make surprise roast dinners for people we think don't love us.
You just had a normal relationship where you showed your emotions honestly and joked with each other.
I have had some health problems the last few years and whenever I tried to get emotional with my DH and tell him how much I love him and appreciate all he does he gets very uncomfortable.
I think your DH was probably the same way, comfortable with acts of service rather than long romantic speeches.

HazelBite · 06/07/2021 08:13

Love to you and your son, just lean on those closest to you Flowers

sleepraptor · 06/07/2021 08:16

I am so sorry vickibee.

I found my husband dead in April, we had separated but were still close. My eldest child also has ASD, sounds similar to your boy although younger, mine is 10. My children have had counselling organised by the school, they have had 4 out of 6 sessions now, they started just after half-term. Both kids have really enjoyed the sessions. One thing the counsellor said was that we all grieve differently, and just because my son does it his way that's not necessarily wrong. I was worried that he didn't want to talk about how he was feeling although we do talk about their dad generally all the time. The other thing we do is always say goodnight to Dad and tell him something about the day. (We talk about the fact we come from the stars and go back to the stars, so we talk to Dad up in the stars, this seems to work for mine.)

Just be led by what he wants to do for now. Mine both wanted to go back to school on the 2nd day after and my son has largely been in pretty much all the time. My daughter who is 7 has wanted to stay at home a bit more but generally again has found being in school really helpful.

I also spoke to the head teacher with the kids about telling their classmates and they both agreed they wanted their class teacher to tell the class straight away whilst they were in the classroom but without them having to say anything. Again, your son is older but it might be worth asking him what he wants to do here.

Winstons Wish that has been mentioned had some info on grief and SEN that was helpful to read. They also talked through things that might be useful to help the children. I also got memory boxes from them for the children.

You will be in such a massive shock for now. I couldn't eat for the first 24 hours but had hot chocolate then smoothies and porridge, just simple things.

I second the recommendation for "It's ok that you're not ok" book. I also found Resilient Grieving by Lucy Hone brilliant. But to start with I couldn't really concentrate on a book. I had one page a day book that helped: MArtha Hickman "Healing after loss" as I only had to read a few words a day. A good book for your son (and you) might be "Tear Soup". The other books my children have are probably aimed at younger children.

Given your son's age, it might be helpful for him to contribute to the eulogy. I found it helpful for me to write it. I also read it to the children before the funeral so they were prepared for what it said and knew what to expect (which is important for my son).

Given the sudden nature of my husband's death there was a coroner involved and it took some time so the funeral was actually 3 weeks after he died. It felt like an inordinate amount of time waiting for both the coroner (think it took nearly 2 weeks to get an answer) and the funeral but they said it does just take a while nowadays.

You probably won't be able to absorb all this information now but everyone's messages will be here to come back to. Feel free to PM me. I'll add more if I think of anything.

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