Tag: loved one

Anyone who has been given a cancer diagnosis makes an immediate recalibration of every previously held ambition. Friends and loved ones often don't understand how priorities held for a lifetime can change overnight when someone learns he or she has cancer. Reactions to a cancer diagnosis, regardless of the prognosis, will vary according to personality, but each person will experience an onslaught of fear, worry and uncertainty.

Suicide is desolate. It is weighted with shame and secrecy, criticism and judgment. Too often there is little compassion for those who have chosen to end their lives; and compassion or support for the survivors of suicide is often embarrassed and spare.

Surviving loved ones are traumatized as they hold the remains of a shattered life in their hands. They are full of questions, recriminations, and their own mixed emotions. Why did this happen? Why didn't I see this coming? Could I have done something more?

Finding the right nursing home is not easy, and you may be under pressure to move fast due to a recent hospitalization or deterioration in condition. The more information you have, the greater your chances of finding the right fit for you or a loved one.

Here are some tips on narrowing down your options:

* Start with referrals. Does your family physician or specialist have any recommendations? Do you know any friends or family who have used different homes? Knowing someone with first-hand experience with a home can help you narrow your choices. However, remember your needs may differ: one size does not fit all.

If you and your spouse are experiencing the heartbreak of losing a loved one, you are undoubtedly filled an emptiness, sadness, confusion and the uncertainty of your new world with this new void. How do you accept your own feelings and the myriad of stress-related issues, much less support your spouse with their grief? This is a crucial time in your marriage. It’s a time for bonding, for sharing, for open communication, extra patience and becoming a true partner, a team, in the process of making sense of a situation that is filled with questions and often indescribable emotions.

The holidays are here. It's a season of joy and celebration. It can also be a little crazy.

Black Friday has invaded Thanksgiving. The frantic hunt for perfect deals is underway. Holiday shopping has become a contact sport. You can feel the tension amid bright lights and the tinkling bells. We’re impatient, hurried, even frantic. As the traffic increases, so does our blood pressure.

Holidays are also stressful for another reason. They surface our losses like nothing else can. We're keenly aware of who's missing.

We have loved ones who can’t be with us this year. Some have died. Others are still here, but no longer remember. Some are chronically ill. Some are alone in ways they’ve never have been before.