Navigating grief

During your cancer journey, amongst other changes, you might face times where you experience some kind of loss. All losses make you susceptible to experience grief, as each one is a void of some sort.

GRIEF /’grˉef/ noun

1) deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement • his grief

over his son’s death

2) a cause of such suffering • life’s joys and griefs Grief is a word that embraces the various feelings and thoughts you might have about the loss you are dealing with. Grief can include pain, overwhelming sadness, despair, anger, relief, shame, guilt, joy and fear-filled questions of how you will live now. It can be initiated by a loss or change of life as you knew it. Often society sees grief as a negative instead of a valid emotion that becomes a part of our being.

Grief and cancer

For your physical, mental and emotional health it’s important to address and recognize your grief in some way. For some, grief can start upon your or someone’s diagnosis or it can come as a result of yet another life-altering event or circumstance.

Coping with the death of a loved one

Grief from the loss of a loved one entails large heartbreak. Be honest about how the death affects you. Recognize that some extra support from friends, family and professionals may be appropriate. The hardest part about losing someone is accepting that your loss is permanent.

Anticipatory grief

Anticipatory grief is a feeling of grief before a death and is very common. These feelings do not mean a person is giving up. When the end of life happens is out of anyone’s control. What is in people’s control is how they love and support the patient and those around them. You control when and how you help, your conversations, affection and attitude. Families should try to realize that medical professionals cannot pinpoint exactly how long someone will live. There is no remedy to this cluelessness and that can feel extremely unsettling.

-merriam-webster.com