Saying goodbye to a dying relative

Hug him and let your feelings out. It's family, you don't have to plan what to do or say to him.

Sorry to hear about your cousin.
Maybe some cancer resources online could provide some insight?

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Just try to have a good time and make one last memory.

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as my family ages I'm seeing this more and more, it sucks that I'm getting somewhat used to saying goodbye and knowing that when I walk out the door it's the last time I'll be seeing a person that has been a big part of my life alive

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What the Hell am I supposed to say to him? I’m really going to miss him.
We’ve had a bunch of great times together.

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I'd just tell him he's not dead yet and see if there's anything he'd like to do again or for the first time. Why the hell not right?

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I’m really going to miss him. We’ve had a bunch of great times together.

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Tell him that, nothing about this fun but try to laugh at some point. Sorry for your situation man, the big C sucks.

Made my 2nd visit to a cousin yesterday. He has stage 4 long cancer and a failing heart condition. We’ve never been close, but talked about old times and family members. Just wanted to pay my respects

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NatalbanyTigerFan

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My cousin is 47 years old. Has always been full of life and the kind of guy you really want to be around.

He’s known that he’s had cancer for several months. He’s been through all the “routine” treatments. He’s lost over 100lbs and all of his hair. Nothing is working anymore.

He just had an MRI last week and the cancer has spread throughout his body. Doctors gave him 3 months to live. 6 months if he was lucky.

I haven’t seen him since before he was diagnosed. He lives in Georgia. He’s been out of state taking treatments in Georgia and Texas.

He’s coming in tomorrow to see all of his family here 1 last time.

What the Hell am I supposed to say to him? I’m really going to miss him.
We’ve had a bunch of great times together.

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I'm sure that if your cousin was the magnetic, energetic person you say that he is, he wouldn't want the heaviness that comes with your thoughts right now. He needs to concentrate the remaining time he has left on this blue dot soaking up every single positive experience he can wrap his mind and arms around. He's done his treatments and obviously shared with his family what the news is. He's planning his time out to check all of the boxes he wants.

I would imagine that those boxes don't include sober, sad lamentations about what was and what will be no more. It's going to need to be positive, uplifting, happy remembrances and-as someone said earlier-trying to make one last memory that he can not only enjoy, but leave you with moving forward into the rest of your life.

My 2 cents is to treat that dude just like always. Try to plan for something fun or entertaining that you know you'd both like...and don't focus or fixate on the future. Concentrate on the moment. You are blessed with the knowledge that this will more than likely be your last one.

Make it worth it. For both of y'all.

God Bless.

If you live long enough, you do it a lot of times. I'm 65 and need more than my 2 hands to count the number of friends and family I've said goodbye to over the years.

It is never easy, but try to remain positive and don't dwell on the situation. Believe me, they know how bad it is and likely feel just as awkward.

A few years ago both my father-in-law and his youngest son, age 51 passed within 2 months of each other and that was a tough fall for the family. Both had cancer and only lived a few months past being initially diagnosed.

Every time I saw them, I'd do my best to joke around with them, talking about old times and the things we did and not dwelling on the current situation. Believe me, they do enough of that when alone with their thoughts.

You can say, "George, I was thinking about that time when we were kids and set the football field on fire" or whatever and then talk about that or other stuff from the past (Better days). IF he wants to talk about the cancer, let him. Just listen and be supportive. Don't try to tell him you know how he feels, unless you are dying of cancer too.


Two years ago, I drove 8 hours to spend a day with an old friend who had end stage cancer. So happy I did that. He was a good guy and I am glad I had that last visit. Went back two weeks later for the funeral.


Sorry for your cousin and for you. Cancer is a bitch.