It's happening to me. My dad is dying.
My fiance and I are halfway through a nearly 2-year engagement. We were excited to have a longer timeline so we could relax through the process and so we could fit the wedding into my summer break (I am a teacher).
My dad lives out of state and recently went to a doctor over some persistent back pain. Turns out it was a pancreatic tumor, which we later found out was a small but very aggressive form of cancer that has likely spread to his lungs and bones. The prognosis is extremely bad, even though he currently doesn't feel sick. We expect things to turn very suddenly.
We are still 13 months out from the wedding and it is incredibly unlikely my dad will be around then. If he is, he will not be well. He keeps mentioning how he'll miss it every time we talk. He is my favorite person and I hate to think of anyone else walking me down the aisle. I hate even more that he feels bad or guilty for missing it.
My mom was also supposed to fly down to see me in 3 weeks to shop for wedding dresses. She probably can't make the trip now since she is his primary caretaker. I don't know if I want to reschedule or do the appointments without her.
I would love some words of encouragement and some ideas for meaningful ways of including my dad in the planning process. This is gut wrenching and horrible.