Tag Archives: Life-limiting illness

Is It Grief or Depression? A Terminal Illness Can Lead to Both

It can be very hard to pinpoint the source of psychological distress

Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help … Continue reading

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Hiding the Truth About Heart Failure, Part Two

Patients lose out when doctors aren't honest about what's to come

Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies. ~ Dorothy Allison Last month, I introduced my readers to Jim, a 77-year-old man who had been living with congestive heart failure for several years. He and his … Continue reading

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Sometimes Denial Is a Useful Tool

Devastating news can be a catalyst for learning and growth -- or not

Denial helps us to pace our feelings of grief. There is a grace in denial. It is nature’s way of letting in only as much as we can handle ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Learning that you have a serious and possibly … Continue reading

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Why Does Earlier Hospice Care Improve the End of Life?

Palliative care professionals believe terminally ill people wait too long to sign up for hospice

A study performed by the Yale School of Medicine suggests that receiving hospice care earlier in your disease process can improve the quality of the end of your life. Right now, many people are admitted to hospice within a few … Continue reading

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“Life After the Diagnosis” by Dr. Steven Z. Pantilat

A palliative care physician offers practical advice to people living with a serious illness and their loved ones

Dr. Steven Pantilat’s “Life After the Diagnosis: Expert Advice on Living Well with Serious Illness for Patients and Caregivers” is a wonderful resource for individuals and families struggling to cope with life-limiting illness. Written in easy-to-understand layman’s terms, the book … Continue reading

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You Don’t Need to be Brave

A cancer survivor reminds us that courage is no protection against terminal illness

I just read a wonderful story in the July 21, 2017, issue of Time. Written by cancer survivor Josh Friedman, it’s about an ordinary man who got a cancer diagnosis and didn’t take it particularly well. In fact, his behavior … Continue reading

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