Disenfranchised Grief: Coronavirus Took My Partner

[Reviewed and updated May 19, 2020]

My grief lies all within, and these external manners of lament are merely shadows to the unseen grief that swells with silence in the tortured soul.   ~ William Shakespeare

A reader writes: You have so many articles on grief but I was unable to find an article that can help me. I’ve recently lost my partner of 4 years who passed a week ago. We were not married and I lived with him and was his primary caregiver. During his last month of life we were apart due to Covid19 and I didn’t get to see him. He was ill but death was not imminent so this has come as quite a shock.

Caregiving and Hospice, October 14 - October 20, 2018

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

I Need to Have a Life, http://j.mp/2R25Ksa « The Caregiver Space

A Working Class Death, http://j.mp/2AdWUll « True

When Your Partner Is Dying, What Do You Say? http://j.mp/2A9ld43 « NextAvenue

Understanding and Managing Grief, March 18 - March 24, 2018

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

Hospices Respond to Community Grief Caused by Opioid Overdoses, http://j.mp/2ui1I8m « The Lancet USA Blog

7 Rules for Loving a Grieving Heart, http://j.mp/2Ghm3PX « Bryan C. Taylor

Grief and Oral History: Keeping Memories Alive, http://j.mp/2ubrcUJ « What's Your Grief?

In Grief: Supporting A Partner in Mourning

[Reviewed and updated April 19, 2025]

When someone is going through a storm, your silent presence is more powerful than a million empty words.  ~ Thema Davis

If those who shared their stories in our online Loss of a Love Relationship forum were any indication, individuals whose partners have lost a family member to death are often dismayed by the profound and often negative impact such a loss can have on the couple's relationship. As stated in an earlier post, we are all different from one another, not only in how we think, feel and behave, but also in how we mourn. If this is a couple's first experience with significant loss and they are unfamiliar with grief, they may misinterpret each other's behaviors, misunderstand their partner's needs and fail to meet their expectations. Hurt feelings and conflict may follow, and eventually their entire relationship can get derailed.