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Estrangement

Support and friendship for those whose lives have been affected by estrangement.

(964 Posts)
Smileless2012 Thu 26-Jun-25 10:42:51

So here we are again, another thread for friends we've already made and for those we are yet to meet.

The last few days have been difficult because for as long as some of us have been contributing to the support threads, offensive posts from these 'new' members still not only disrupt, but can hurt too.

'The truth shall set you free' popped into my head over the weekend because these 'new' members/trolls/previously banned posters are not being truthful to us here on this forum or possibly to themselves either.

In order for the truth to free us we have to be honest because honesty and truthfulness can liberate us from all kinds of emotional baggage like guilt and fear and also the impact of deception on our lives.

Guilt often prevents 'admitting' to estrangement in the first place and many live with the fear of permanent estrangement, that estrangement is inevitable or the fear of what a reconciliation my bring.

The impact that the deception from those who lie about us to others is sometimes unquantifiable as is the impact of lying to themselves.

What we share may not always be pretty, it may not always be easy to share or to read but it does help ourselves, one another and who knows how many who read but never post and that I believe is what really matters.

Yoginimeisje Sat 09-Aug-25 10:31:36

Babs yes that is him sitting by the boating shed. Lots of flowers there now, I'll get some roses to put there tomorrow, park will not be the same without him there, everyone knew him.

He arranged one of these 'direct cremations', when he told me I said Cancel it, you have lots of friends and family that would want to say a final goodbye to you, this was before he was ill. I see the ads for this on TV and got an envelope through the post for it too this week angry I thinks it's horrible.

Yoginimeisje Sat 09-Aug-25 10:19:28

Thanks Whiff for all your comments on my posts. Sounds like you had a lovely lunch with your friend from GN and seems you got on really well if you stayed so long. Good to read you were happy with the neurologist and sorted out some further appointments, good luck when they come along. Your posts are always very well put together, so can't be much wrong with your brain.

Babs hope your DH is improving and getting plenty of rest and TLC at home now.

Allsorts It's lucky if you live near enough to meet up. It would be nice to meet up with you & some of the other regular posters on here for a coffee, but I think we all live a distance apart. I was very surprised how near Babs & I live from each other and as you know we have met up a couple of times, had a really good chat & got on well, as I think we all would, having so much in commen.

Allsorts Sat 09-Aug-25 06:46:57

Good news Whiff about your neurologist, you will hopefully get the answers you need.
Glad your meeting went well with fellow gransnetter, do you live close? Never met up with anyone yet although on here for many years.

Babs03 Fri 08-Aug-25 20:19:08

So glad you like your neurologist Whiff, and that you are getting an MRI, as you say knowing what you are dealing with makes such a difference, it is the unknown that is scary.
Have a good nights sleep 🙏🏾❤️

Whiff Fri 08-Aug-25 19:13:27

Saw my neurologist he's great because he listens to me. He said about having MRI scan on my brain before I could ask also going to find the nearest speech centre for me . But MRI first so now on the list . Very happy with how the appointment went . I trust him completely. I am not worried if they find something wrong in my brain in fact it would be a relief if there was . May sound strange but I spent 63 years not knowing why I was like I am . Knowing if something is wrong I can cope with that . And I know he will help me in anyway he can.

Very tired so think it will be an early night tonight .

Bridie22 Fri 08-Aug-25 15:20:04

Hope your appointment goes well today Whiff.

Babs03 Fri 08-Aug-25 13:18:33

Whiff am so glad your meeting with a friend made on GN went so well, am pretty sure you didn’t shock her at all if she was still there at 6.35.
Good luck with your appointment today, fingers crossed 🤞🙏🏾❤️

Babs03 Fri 08-Aug-25 13:15:39

Allsorts I often hit the send button before checking and a load of nonsense appears. The other day was texting about golf to a friend and the word goblin appeared but had sent it already, she thought it was hilarious because the same thing happens with her.
❤️❤️

Babs03 Fri 08-Aug-25 13:13:09

Yogi I must treat Joey to a sausage I think the dog cafe do one on the seafront when DH is out of the woods again with recent bleed will hopefully see you and Joey there 🙏🏾
Don’t get out much to be honest. The last time I saw an old friend was when I bumped into Yogi at the park. But looking forwards to GS birthday this weekend. They are all coming here but bringing food with them.
Am sorry about your friend on the park yogi am pretty sure I’d know if I saw him, did he sit with all the other owners and their dogs near the boating shed??
❤️❤️

Whiff Fri 08-Aug-25 12:45:13

Yogin I read the previous page and replied there. Sorry about your park friend dieing . Your dad was right as we age we go to more funerals than weddings .

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of meeting someone from GN. Can't remember which forum from . But we have been texting for ages and finally we where both free at the same time . Went to a hotel I had never been to before. Had a taxi as no idea where it was . Beautiful place . She arrived at 12 and we had lunch about 1 but didn't leave the hotel until 6.35pm . The time just flew by . We are meeting again in October as we are both going away next month. She's like me a chatterbox. But me being me made her laugh at some of the things I came out with . As she wants to see me again can't have shocked her that much. Lunch was lovely and managed not to drop any down me . Was going to fetch my new specs so went out early this morning to get them and do but if shopping.

Seeing my neurologist this afternoon and see what happens. Take care all.

Whiff Fri 08-Aug-25 12:30:49

Yogin your friends husband must have been a very clever man to start his own observatory and have dealings with NASA so he has left a lasting legacy .

Sorry about your park friend. Remember you saying sometime ago you where worried about him as he wasn't very well.

Glad you had a good roofer and you are pleased with his work . It does take time to get good tradesmen but they are worth there weight in gold . I knew before moving here what needed to be done and what order. Me and my lists and foreward planning .

Glad you had a good time at your daughter's birthday lunch . And lucky Joey. Excellent customer service on part of the restaurant.

Yoginimeisje Fri 08-Aug-25 09:57:06

Allsorts grin re Joey's sausage xx

I was talking about this with my park friends, one said 'did you check your bill to see if they had charged for the sausage & did you check re service charge?' No to both, didn't check just paid shock still have receipt so will check after the fact, not worried if I paid for sausage, but gave a decent tip, which I wouldn't have if it was already on the bill. I don't like that, much rather give to the server.

My park friend passed away yesterday sad, all these deaths, think as you get older it happens more. I remember my dad saying that they go to more funerals than weddings now sad.

Allsorts Fri 08-Aug-25 06:39:22

Yoga, if ever I meet up with you I will bring a dish of sausage for Joey. Glad your roofer did a good job and you had a lovely time at the party.
Well done on your win Mr S. Trust shield.is in a prominent position.😊
Whiff, understand now how you had the free ticket. The box sounds perfect for Fishermans Friends, it will be great. I watched the film again on tv the other week.
As I typed this I checked every sentence was correct, about to press send and several words had changed and I had to alter,.don't know why but it's so annoying.

Yoginimeisje Thu 07-Aug-25 09:00:33

Morning all

Thanks very much for your comments re roofer and my friend's husband passing.

They emigrated to Spain about 5yrs ago, but fly back on a regular basis, so we would met up for lunch or a night out. He started an observatory and even had Nasa on his books, they were doing really well. So sad! Also my park friend was given just 48hrs to live, so his family are by his side now.

Very pleased with my roof, the new guy was excellent, polite and friendly. He arrived at 8am and didn't fiish till 4pm. I had to leave him to it as it was my DD birthday and we were going out for lunch, had a lovely time by the seaside, took Joey as he was not enjoying the workman in our garden. The restaurant was excellent, the first thing they did was ask if Joey would like some water, then asked if he'd like a sausage! brought up a big dish of sauage for him smile, so I was won over with that. Food was excellent too.

Babs Nice to read your DH is enjoying your GS birthday celebrations. Good luck with everything at the hospital.

Smiles well done to Mr.S with winning the trophy.

Whiff & Allsorts good to read your posts and that you are both well.

Whiff Wed 06-Aug-25 11:14:33

Allsorts the system doesn't work like that . The ticket was given to me for a companion because of my disability. It was for me to take another person . Unfortunately the only one who would have enjoyed it couldn't go and no one else likes his music . Sir Stephen Hough is playing the piano with a full orchestra. Not everyone like classical music. I wasn't put on the access system until I went to my first concert last month was conductor Vasily Petrenko. It was brilliant and with my hi fidelity ear plugs with the strongest strength I could hear the music without any noise around me . When talking to people had to take them out as I couldn't hear what they where saying clearly . But wearing them kept my HPX kicking in . So I can go to concerts but won't go to the pictures as I will be to crammed in and the screening rooms are to small for me to cope with.

I brought my ticket for Fishermen's friends as soon as they where announced so had it for 5 months it's for February. I have to pick seats that is accessible for me . So the concert I am seeing in November is in a box as all the other available seats where not suitable but it was only £10 dearer.

Yogin I am sorry about your friend . My mom was lucky her GP was away and it was a locum. Mom had pain in her left breast so was sent to rapid access clinic. Mammogram and biopsy the cancer was in the right breast and the size of a pea the consultant said if she hadn't come when she did she would have died . The smaller the cancer the more aggressive it is . Plus not all lumps can be felt or detected via machines.

When I had my hysterectomy when I was 38 they could clearly see the large cyst in my left ovary. I opted for total hysterectomy good job as my right was covered in tiny ones . I was lucky they where all benign.

My husband's oncologist said cancers like to hide and can kill before anyone has any symptoms. My husband's grade 4 malignant melanoma appeared over night . And we knew he wouldn't live 5 years he lived 3. He had 6 tumours when he was terminal but it took a month for them to be seen and only because they used a stronger dye than normal for them to show .

Your friend and her husband may have known he had cancer and choose not to tell anyone. When we had my husband's diagnosis and he wouldn't live . He didn't want anyone to know so only me and the children knew he was dieing . As in his words he didn't want to be treated as a dead man walking and wanted to live a normal life .He really didn't want to tell people when he was terminal but I told him he must . Those people who treated him differently he cut them cut out of our lives . I had to threaten my parents if they differently he wouldn't see them . His own mother just said oh. And after he died told people she had no son or grandchildren.

While this is a shock to you Yogin they may have been expecting it. No one knows how they will handle with a cancer diagnosis until they get it plus the grade if a 4 or 5 it's unlikely you will live 5 years . Grade 3 50/50 chance . 1 or 2 with treatment then you could live a full life . Plus it depends where the cancer is . Some cancer's kill no matter the grade . Unfortunately it's now 1 in 2 people will get cancer it was 1 in 3 in 2001 . That's why it's so important still to check you bodies and have mammograms ,smears and bowel screening for woman . Prostate and bowel screening for men checking their testicles . But men must check their chests as men can get breast cancer and it kills men quicker .

When my husband died 2,000 people died a month from skin cancer. I think it's more now . Winter sun is as dangerous as summer sun .

Babs just read what you wrote after I wrote my ramble . My brother knows someone who tests the bowel cancer samples . They start when you are 60 and sent every 2 years . They only get 60% of the samples sent returned . So 40% of people are playing with their lives . It's so simple to do . At least it's easier to do now than when I was 60 and it was cardboard and you couldn't send it back until you had done 3 samples . At least it's only one now and in a bottle and tiny amount to fill the grooves on the stick.

Congratulations to Mr S on his bowls shield . Needed to end on a happy note .

Babs03 Wed 06-Aug-25 10:55:37

Well is rinse and repeat, DH went for an assessment in the hospital, turns out that last weeks CT hadn’t changed from the one before it but still showed signs of a bleed, another CT yesterday showed similar. Have been told to bring him back in if there are signs of deterioration. Difficult to tell when the original stroke makes him confused and agitated sometimes as well as very tired.
Hmmm.
Still the fam are here this weekend for GCs birthday. Am making him a Spider-Man cake. They are bringing all the food and drink. He is having another party at home with his nursery pals. So really looking forward to that.
Hope everyone is enjoying the weather.
Lots of love ❤️

Allsorts Tue 05-Aug-25 19:11:02

It is just a shock Yogin, losing someone so quickly. Your poor friend.

Smileless2012 Mon 04-Aug-25 11:36:38

That's right Babs, with some cancers you can have it for sometime before you notice there maybe something wrong.

Babs03 Mon 04-Aug-25 11:22:41

Yoginimeisje

I learnt this morning that a good friend's husband has just passed away, quick aggressive cancer, I had no idea he was even ill, such a shock.

So sorry, sometimes it isn’t that the cancer is quick but that there are no real symptoms for some time. We all check for bumps and moles but sadly sometimes there are no outward sign. 😞

Smileless2012 Mon 04-Aug-25 08:42:09

Just seen your last post Yogin; sounds like my cousin's partner. It's frightening just how quickly some cancers can take a life flowers.

Smileless2012 Mon 04-Aug-25 08:40:10

Morning everyone.

You hear so many horror stories about people knocking on doors offering to do roofing and drives Yogin, who charge a fortune for work that didn't need doing in the first place, and sometimes they leave it in a worse condition than when they started.

You absolutely did the right thing smile.

The rain's just started hammering down here and we're hoping that we'll be spared the worse of the strong winds forecast for today.

Don't know if Mr. S. will be playing his bowls match this evening after a busy bowls festival week last week. He got through to the pairs final yesterday but they lost by just 3 points. Has a lovely shield though which he'll have for 6 months before giving to his partner for 6.

Hope none of you will be badly affected by today's storm. Stay safe x

Yoginimeisje Mon 04-Aug-25 08:31:30

I learnt this morning that a good friend's husband has just passed away, quick aggressive cancer, I had no idea he was even ill, such a shock.

Yoginimeisje Mon 04-Aug-25 08:22:19

Morning all

Allsorts He was a gypsie if he couldn't read or write. They leave school after primary. Yes, it is really upsetting. I'm sure I've been duped in the past with hedge & tree trimming when I lived in the house before this. You look back and realise the cost was too high. They are so nice and friendly when they ask to do the job, but if you cross them, woe-be-tyde! That's why I was so worried about that roofer!

Allsorts Mon 04-Aug-25 07:23:48

Yogin, glad you enjoyed the musical party, what instrument did you play ? You handled the roofer well. A few years ago a lovely guy came my door saying he had just finished pruning a neighbours tree and as he had all equipment with him if I needed anything doing it would be special rate. I had
a tree that needed pruning, it wasn't too big, he said two hours work and quoted me a figure. I agreed, he said he was starving do I did him a bacon sandwich and a cuppa, In under an hour the pruning was finished and he came for his money. I said yes when you've taken the cuttings, he said that would be double what was quoted, he turned from being nice to angry. A few doors away my friends husband heard him shouting and same round. He asked where this house was that he had worked on, couldn't remember, in the end he removed the cuttings accepted original offer, I gave him the money and asked him to sign, he couldn't read or write so signed with an X. Now I only deal with reputable people although it costs more, that incident upset me for days the way he just turned on me.
Whiff such a shame that ticket has to be wasted, it would be a nice prize in a raffle for charity.

Yoginimeisje Sun 03-Aug-25 08:46:37

Whiff when you move it takes a while to 'collect' all the good trades people, keeping their details for another time. Hope your tomatoes are lovely. I had some growing out of a big pot plant in my kitchen from throwing the cut offs from my lunch in, I was amazed when I realised the 'weed' was a tomatoes plant. They were so tasty that I brought some when I next shopped, but I had stopped eating due to my acid indig. problem. Best of luck on Friday xx