It’s my fault my husband caught Covid and died alone in hospital

DEAR DEIDRE: IF I hadn’t persuaded my husband to stay in hospital, he wouldn’t have caught Covid and died.

Now the guilt is tearing me apart.

1

I’m 68 and he was 70 when he died at the start of this year. We were married for 40 years.

In January, he was diagnosed with cancer and given the opportunity to start treatment immediately.

He wanted to come home but I persuaded him to change his mind.
Within a few days he had caught Covid and because he was weak from chemo, he never recovered.

Now I lie awake at night thinking that if I hadn’t talked him into starting treatment, he’d still be here with me today.

I don’t know how to get over this.

It feels like it’s my fault he died.

DEIDRE SAYS: Please don’t blame yourself.

You could not have predicted what was going to happen – it was out of your control.

You did what you thought was right for your husband at the time because you loved him. He knew that.

Guilt is a normal part of the grieving process. My support pack, Bereavement, explains more.

Do talk to a counsellor for support, too.