How do you support patients who don’t want to talk about their illness or accept support? To follow up on
Read moreWhen Patients Hide the Ugly Side
What should you do if an ill loved one won’t respond to emails or texts because they want to hide their pain, sadness, debility, weakness? Forcing yourself on them will exacerbate their sense of loss of control. Leaving them alone, well, leaves them alone in their pain, sadness, debility, and weakness—not a good thing.
I’ve been on both sides of this dilemma.
Read morePrincess Kate on Getting Back to Normal After Cancer
The Princess of Wales told the world via Instagram, “It is a relief to now be in remission, and I remain focused on recovery.” In her first major public statement since Kensington Palace released a video last fall, the Princess talked about completing cancer treatment.
Read moreA Problem With the Cure Just Around the Corner
Millions of Americans live with diseases with no cure. Diabetes. Parkinsons. MS. Dementia. I imagine many of them experience nice people offering encouraging comments. such as, “I believe they’ll find a cure” or “A cure is just around the corner!” What could be wrong with that?
Read moreRecognizing Obstacles to Hope
In Why Don’t I Feel Hope? I talk about hopelessness as a physical problem. If changes in the brain block the proper firing of brain cells needed to experience hope, willpower and/or spiritual faith may not be enough (just as a severed spinal cord makes it impossible to move the legs)—no matter how much patients want to feel hope.
Read moreGreat Advice for Relationships
An article touting “the best” advice for relationships includes a simple technique useful for Healthy Survivors dealing with a challenge of illness or injury.
Read moreBetter than "Better"
Friend: Are you better? Pateint: Yeah, I’m better. The friend now thinks everything is fine or back to normal when, maybe, the patient is still working through tough times.
Read moreClichés of Compassion
In your effort to comfort someone, you may unwittingly cause distress saying what seems like the right thing. Of the many possible scenarios, a common one is
Read moreYour Public Persona and Healthy Survivorship
Preserving your public persona could cost you your health—or even your life!
Read moreDo you have a problem or a dilemma?
If a challenge upsets you, it may help to distinguish whether you have a problem or a dilemma.
Read moreSteps to Take If Your Illness Causes Pain
My June 19th post discussed a common conundrum for patients: Should they suffer silently to protect their loved ones? Or does hiding pain selfishly deprive loved ones the opportunity to help, offer comfort, or at least know what’s going on?
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