#41: Josh Booth - Losing My Dad To Cancer
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Have you ever gone through a difficult moment in your life? Depression, abuse, loss — these are awful and unfortunate things some of us have to deal with. In these cases, it’s not easy to know what to do to regain control of our emotions and reactions. Remember that you’re not alone on this journey. Know that things can and will get better.
In this episode, Seb’s close friend Josh speaks about the unfortunate passing of his father 4 years ago to throat cancer and his experience dealing with the immense sadness and grief that engulfed him and his family. Josh’s honesty as he reflects on his father’s final months while tapping into those emotions is truly touching. Jim and Josh talk about what they still find hard to this day in their respective responses to losing a parent and the importance of accepting where you are at in the current moment.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Listen to an honest account of Josh attempting to deal with the heartbreak of losing his father to cancer.
Hear two people (Josh and Jim) at different stages on the journey of grief openly share their experience and where they are at today.
Learn how to support a loved one who is dealing with grief and be a support system.
5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode
“I tried to distance myself away from my feelings and how it all made me feel. The one thing I didn’t do was talk enough about it.”
“I remember how I felt the day my dad died and it was carnage. I just kind of internalised it, you don’t want to feel like that, I don’t want to feel like that”
“My gran has gotten into the habit of saying that she’s only got one son now (my uncle) which isn’t the case. She’s got two sons, one’s just passed away. That’s just her way of articulating it”
“My relationship with my mom has been good. Our relationship has always been good. She’s doing as well as she can, the main thing for me is to keep her close by calling her and visiting her to let her know she’s not alone”
“It (his father’s death) never really meant that my view on the things I do should change, it just meant that I should probably enjoy them a little more and maximize those opportunities”
Episode Highlights
Initial Stages of Cancer
● Josh speaks about his father’s reaction and the reaction of the family as a whole when discovering the diagnosis of throat cancer.
● Josh reflects on the difficulty of seeing cancer spread in his father and how this changed his appearance and voice.
The Final Days
● Josh recounts the last few favourable memories of his father with the family spending time together at a cottage in the countryside.
● Jim and Josh ask each other about how each other’s family expressed updates on the cancer and the tendency of loved ones to avoid being totally honest. Josh shares the unbearable emotions that he felt as his dad passes, describing it as ‘carnage’.
Life after losing a parent
● Josh tells Jim and Seb that he often thinks of his dad when he was healthy and more ‘himself’. Reminiscing about his dad during his battle with cancer is very painful.
● Josh shares how his relationship with his family has evolved since losing his father to cancer and how he looks at life now, appreciating the small things and prioritizing what matters most.
Enjoy this Podcast?
We appreciate Josh coming on and sharing his story with us. It was touching to hear him speak so candidly about his experience and we hope this helps listeners on their journey, at whatever stage they are on. If you appreciate what we are trying to do with today’s episode and our overall project of The Earthly Delights Podcast, then hit subscribe and share it with your friends!
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To removing stigma,
Jim and Seb
