Reply to Helping emotionally navigate a terminal diagnosis

Forum Index » Eldercare

Reply to "Helping emotionally navigate a terminal diagnosis"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]I agree w/ the pps who talked about doing things with your loved ones now - focusing on what brings pleasure and happy memories, not on what you're losing. Focus on the things that make you love them, not the things that make them sick or take them away.

Help document memories - take the photos, keep a journal, take notes on conversations about "hey, who gave you that vase you love so much, how did you and Jay meet, tell me some of your favorite memories, what advice do you really want me to take to heart" etc...

I lost my best friend at 35, and have lost many other friends/relatives/parents - many of them from long illnesses. My best friend died of AIDS so we had a long time of knowing it was coming and we made the most of the time. Many of my most cherished memories are from that time. And there were lots of days when just being "normal" was the best part. I even remember fights we had, and once - yelling "you don't get to be an a'hole just because you're dying!" and then the ridiculousness of that making both of us collapse in laughter. And I remember his family telling me how when I showed up it brought out the core of him, gave them all glimpses of the person who sometimes got lost in the clinical focus.

Anyway, I guess my advice is to prioritize time with and for your inlaw (and spouse/family). Try to ensure you won't have regrets about things left unsaid or undone - in the long run that's really all you can do.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics