starente15
Senior member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2014
- Messages
- 809
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 10/2017
- Country
- US
- State
- NJ
- City
- Northern
I'm so sorry for your loss. My dad passed a year ago yesterday from ALS and our experience was similar.
If it's any comfort, I too had flashbacks, nightmares and couldn't sleep for weeks. I had terrible anxiety over thinking about what he must have felt and been thinking as things transpired. After some time had passed, the horrible images started to come up less frequently. I started sleeping again and the nightmares subsided.
Time will make it easier but you will never forget. As we approached one year, things started coming up again. I've learned how to cope by recognizing that it's just a thought and I can choose to think of something else at that moment to give it less power. It's a long road back to "normal", whatever that may be, but life goes on for those of us left behind and we slowly find our way.
If it's any comfort, I too had flashbacks, nightmares and couldn't sleep for weeks. I had terrible anxiety over thinking about what he must have felt and been thinking as things transpired. After some time had passed, the horrible images started to come up less frequently. I started sleeping again and the nightmares subsided.
Time will make it easier but you will never forget. As we approached one year, things started coming up again. I've learned how to cope by recognizing that it's just a thought and I can choose to think of something else at that moment to give it less power. It's a long road back to "normal", whatever that may be, but life goes on for those of us left behind and we slowly find our way.