In Grief: Preserving Memories

Preserve your memories. They're all that's left you.  ~ Paul Simon

A reader writes: My husband died in August of brain cancer.  We were blessed to have a few years together after surgery, chemo and radiation, but that time was also plagued by a continual decline in his abilities. I am 45, he was 56 when he died too young. Our dreams are lost. Certainly I know he is whole and not suffering any longer but that doesn't always lessen mine. I am disabled so I have each and every day to deal with my loss. A wise woman told me to throw my books away and look for my answers inside. I don't have answers, but I do have a lot of journal entries and I thought I might share one of them with you:

Understanding and Managing Grief & Pet Loss, January 10 - January 16, 2021

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

During 63 years of marriage we were a couple and now it was just me, flying solo. What did I need to survive and thrive? Assembling My Grief Survival Kit: What's In Yours? « Open to Hope 

Public misperception is a barrier between patients and palliative care. Based on the true story of a nurse practitioner’s experiences with patients and families facing serious and terminal illnesses, this film depicts the patient-centered interdisciplinary care that so many seriously ill patients need.  Film ‘The Elephant in the Room’ Shines a Light on Palliative Care « Hospice News

Caregiving and Hospice, May 13 - May 19, 2018

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Film Review, "End Game" Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, http://j.mp/2IsjtZr « Seven Ponds Blog

16 Things Smart People Do to Prepare for Death, http://j.mp/2rISEpb « Reader's Digest

Your feedback is welcome! Please feel free to leave a comment or a question, or share a tip, a related article or a resource of your own in the Comments section below. If you’d like Grief Healing Blog updates delivered right to your inbox, you’re cordially invited to subscribe to our weekly Grief Healing Newsletter. Sign up here.

Understanding and Managing Grief, February 12 - February 18, 2017

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

New Book: There Is No Good Card for This: What To Say and Do When Life Is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to People You Love, http://n.pr/2kJMZsU « NPR

You Can Find Love Again, http://bit.ly/2loepIz « Star Letters

Blessings of Grief, http://bit.ly/2lWRYHu « Widower's Grief

Coping with Pet Loss, October 23 - October 29, 2016

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Short Film Captures Grief and Longing of Pet Loss, http://bit.ly/2ff9atv « Dogster

Curious Cats Get Killed in Clothes Dryers, http://bit.ly/2extG6X « Grief Healing

Your feedback is welcome! Please feel free to leave a comment or a question, or share a tip, a related article or a resource of your own in the Comments section below.

If you’d like Grief Healing Blog updates delivered right to your inbox, you’re cordially invited to subscribe to our weekly Grief Healing Newsletter. Sign up here.

Coping with Pet Loss, May 24 - May 30, 2015

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

When Your Dog Dies: Reflection on Losing Your Best Friend, http://j.mp/1FfvOCi « HuffPost Healthy Living

Grief-therapy dog is remembered at her own funeral, http://j.mp/1FIiERC « The Columbus Dispatch

Everything I know about a good death I learned from my cat, http://j.mp/1Q9knlG « The Verge

Understanding and Managing Grief, May 10 - May 16, 2015

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

Film Review: Up (2009), http://j.mp/1cF7lj1 « SevenPonds Blog

Heart wrenching: Dying With Dignity, http://j.mp/1EDPEYr « HuffPost Healthy Living

Fallout From A Suicide Can Touch Everyone Who Is Exposed, http://j.mp/1F8o8Vn « Grief after Suicide

Understanding and Managing Grief, March 17 - March 23, 2013

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

A son's touching tribute: My Father's Horniness, http://j.mp/167NIrz by Dax Shepard

Defending Against Loss, http://j.mp/11rBuaz by Tara Brach

Film Review: The Way, http://j.mp/10uwXoM « The Family Plot Blog

Celebrities speaking up about grief, http://wp.me/p2KrvU-Es « What's Your Grief?

Powerful lesson shared: A Death Remembered, http://j.mp/YKl5ul by Mtutuzeli Nyoka

Caregiving and Hospice, January 26 - February 2, 2013

Best selections from Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

WHAT's Unfrazzle All About?? http://on.fb.me/WqkrR7 by @Unfrazzle

Cancer Caregiving 101: Using Social Media Tools to Build Support, http://ow.ly/hfqxu via @blestbutstrest

Must listen: Myths and Misunderstandings about Hospice, http://fb.me/2dqCkQLRG via @NHPCO_news

Dr. Ira Byock Urges Portland Audience to Talk About End-of-Life Care, http://j.mp/WHPWrk via @NHPCO_news

Film Review: “Dying Wish” the Documentary  http://j.mp/VA7APp « Seven Ponds Blog

Understanding and Managing Grief - June 13 - June 19

From Grief Healing's Twitter stream this week:

• @LegacyConnect: Do I Have to Cry to Grieve? http://bit.ly/do-I-have-to-cry-to-grieve
  

• @Joannefunch: Loss of Spouse - Diva Toolbox, http://bit.ly/aOv8MJ
  

• @GrievingDads: Emotions After the Death of a Child: Anger, http://wp.me/pVxlX-H
  

• @ctsinclair @nytimesmagazine: Describing Grief, http://bit.ly/djhNgG
  

• @hfahospice: The Grieving Spouse, http://bit.ly/aqYhjY
  

• @HelloGrief: Diana Doyle on the impact of multiple losses on surviving family members, http://bit.ly/bLBFkM

• @doclake: Getting On With Life After a Partner Dies, http://nyti.ms/arXfxQ
  

• @soaringspirits: Added resource for LGBT widowed to resource page. So impressed with Dan in Realtime's efforts, http://bit.ly/9xFcwl
  

• @soaringspirits: Camp Widow for all ages, men, women, straight, LGBT Speakers, http://bit.ly/am4KTD
  

• Bereavement films available to help parents; professionals, http://bit.ly/da04KC
  

• Bereavement photographer lovingly records dying babies’ short lives - chicagotribune.com, http://bit.ly/ag5Jkk
  

• @KSBuckley: Understand the Boundaries When Giving Comfort, http://bit.ly/ahjdq5
  

• Haunting, tragic post: Nightmares Have Taken the Place of Dreams | GrievingDads.com Project, http://bit.ly/9VaQjn
  

• @sara_mc Generous, beautiful post about grieving a friend, http://bit.ly/8XObfu
  

• Grief dreams article, Dream work as a Healing Path Through Grief and Loss, http://bit.ly/dw0YwP

Documentary, Griefwalker

Film, Griefwalker – A feature length documentary about grief and the death dialogue and practice in Western culture, this film follows Harvard-educated theologian and end-of-life care educator Stephen Jenkinson as he provides compassionate grief counseling to the dying, their friends and family. Stephen embraces the philosophy and learned practice of grief as a skill rather than an enemy of life, and demonstrates how learning grief is central both to being a healthy human being and to making a healthy society.

Read more about Stephen here: http://orphanwisdom.com/griefwalker/

Mary Frances Knapp of Seven Ponds Blog reviews the film here: http://blog.sevenponds.com/lending-insight/film-review-griefwalker-2012-by-tim-wilson

For purchasing information, see: http://www.alivemindeducation.com/films/griefwalker/

© by Marty Tousley, CNS-BC, FT, DCC