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Bereavement

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My husband died suddenly today- I couldn’t save him

386 replies

Etotheipiplus1equals0 · 24/02/2021 20:57

My 48 year old husband died this morning. We don’t know why but it was probably a massive heart attack. I found him face down wedged between furniture and making grunting noises. I called 999 but it took me ages to get him out and on his back as he is big and I am small. I did cpr and the paramedics worked on him for over an hour but there was no response. My poor kids witnessed a lot of this (9 and 6). I am lost. I keep imagining if I’d just got him out quicker and started cpr sooner he might still be alive. How do I stop picturing his face as he died? I miss him so much and the kids are so young. I’m just not sure I can get through it

OP posts:
Namechange600 · 24/02/2021 23:13

I’m so so sorry for your loss of your husband OP, what a dreadful shock for you and your children. Sending love xxx

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 24/02/2021 23:14

Oh god, I'm so sorry. That's truly awful. Wishing you strength. Xx

FedNlanders · 24/02/2021 23:15

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this xx

wishing3 · 24/02/2021 23:15

I’m so sorry and sending you love. You did all that you could. Xxxx

RandomMess · 24/02/2021 23:17

I'm so sorry Thanks

ineedaholidaynow · 24/02/2021 23:17

I am so sorry Flowers

ktp100 · 24/02/2021 23:19

I'm so sorry for your loss, OP.

GirlLovesWorld · 24/02/2021 23:21

Oh my goodness, I am so so sorry. For you and your children, who are the same age as mine. Hopefully you can all snuggle up together tonight and try to get a little bit of sleep.

An astronomer, wow! Your husband sounds like a lovely, interesting man.

I'm sure he already knew the things you feel were left unsaid.

Thanks
AutoIncorrect · 24/02/2021 23:22

Oh this is heartbreaking, what an horrific shock for you all. I’m so so sorry this has happened to you Etotheipiplus1equals0 please give yourself a break, there is nothing you could have done, what you did do was your absolute best for the man you love and no one could ask more than that.
Please be so very kind and careful with yourself, you’ve suffered an immense shock and mustn’t put pressure on yourself to feel or be a certain way. Hold your children close and just be however you can together now, take it a day at a time. Flowers

Scbchl · 24/02/2021 23:22

I'm so sorry, thinking of you and your children.

NotJackieWeaver · 24/02/2021 23:25

I’m very sorry for your loss

EugenesAxe · 24/02/2021 23:29

That's so sad - I'm really sorry for you and your children. I agree you definitely shouldn't feel any kind of guilt; it's good you have people around to give support. Flowers

GingerScallop · 24/02/2021 23:32

What a shock for you and the kids. Am so sorry for your loss.

Teuchterlass · 24/02/2021 23:32

Sorry for your loss.
I watched my Mum die. I didn't think I would ever get the image out of my mind.
I found a photo of her looking happy and healthy and looked at it until it was imprinted on my brain. In the dark times when I saw her dying frame I forced myself to recall her happy photo and pushed the other image to the back. It was hardbut over time the happy image took over. I hope you can manage to do the same. It won't last forever. X

Teuchterlass · 24/02/2021 23:33

Face not frame

Italiangreyhound · 24/02/2021 23:37

I'm so sorry.

Thanks
Happymum12345 · 24/02/2021 23:41

I’m so sorry Flowers

Lovesabadboy · 24/02/2021 23:43

My goodness, I am so very sorry for your loss. xx

Icanflyhigh · 24/02/2021 23:44

Oh love, am so sorry xx

leopardspotsdotdotdot · 24/02/2021 23:47

I’m so very sorry for your loss, I’m so sorry for you and your children.

Your post made my cry, what a horrendous shock. You have made me think about my nearest and dearest - I’ll be reaching out to those that I haven’t to in a while, so thank you

I wish I could offer more for your grief and pain. I hope you have people around you to hold you up.

Keep talking here, lots of support and advice x

ElephantsNest · 25/02/2021 00:02

Oh goodness, I am so sorry. I’ve been through a similar experience and I will share what worked for me. Appreciate that you are not me of course!

It is quite normal for your mind to go over recent events over and over again, but do seek help from your GP if it’s distressing you or preventing you from sleeping. Mine gave me a few days worth of diazepam to help in the immediate aftermath and I found that it was beneficial, then followed up later to see how I was doing. I found that when the sh*t hits the fan, that the services were good and pretty joined up. Hoping it will be the same for you.

There was a six week wait for counseling on the NHS at the time (but it could be more immediate if you can pay). I am fine now, although I struggled to imagine getting to that point immediately after it had happened. Although the experience will never leave me, it doesn’t have such an effect now and I’m able to focus on the good times we had together.

For the children I tried to keep their routines going as best I could. Routine did, despite the sudden change to their lives give us all some sense of stability. For me this was pre covid so they went to school as usual and whilst they were out a relative stayed with me, helped with practicalities and took me out in the car for walks as a distraction at other times. They were a godsend! Do ask for help with meals and let people know what the kids enjoy eating too if they don’t like casseroles!.

Do let the school know what happened as soon as you can and they should offer support. Ours was really good and offered child mental health support, and the staff were lovely, keeping me up to date with how they were coping whilst at school.

If you’re home schooling I appreciate keeping the routine with the children might be more challenging. Maybe a relative or friend who the children love spending time with could take them out if you need a bit of space to make some phone calls.

Please be gentle with yourself, you are probably traumatized, so be open to letting people you trust share the burden of practical things. You will probably want to let some people know what has happened directly, and I’d advise asking them if they would be willing to tell others they are connected to who know you and your husband to avoid having to tell people again and again and deal with their reactions.

Sending love. Flowers Please pop back to this thread if you have any specific questions or just need a hand hold.

Mamanyt · 25/02/2021 00:06

Oh, my Dear. I am heartbroken for you. But put your mind at ease about one thing...you did everything possible, and even if trained technicians had been 3 minutes away, the outcome would very likely have still been the same. Where massive heart attacks are concerned, there is so little that can be done. YOU. ARE. IN. NO. WAY. AT. FAULT.

As for getting through it, you will because you must. Your children must not lose their mother as well as their father...not physically, not mentally, not emotionally. They tie you here, in the present. The three of you will save each other. And some day, one day, your dear husband's memory will bring you more sweet moments than grieving ones.

My heart with yours.

Fair winds and following seas, Dear Man, fair winds and following seas. You were, are, and always will be, so very loved.

Lalliella · 25/02/2021 00:09

I’m so sorry for your loss. Please don’t blame yourself, cpr very rarely works. A person needing cpr is already dead, it’s very hard to bring them back. Very sad for you OP Flowers

Yaya26 · 25/02/2021 00:12

I’m so sorry. X

Docketpuo · 25/02/2021 00:14

I'm so very sorry. As others have said - you did all that could have been done. Your children will have seen your doing all you could have done. They will be very proud of you one day.

One step at a time and keep to a routine.
Flowers