When Your Lover Dies

Your lover has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Even if you want it to, your life will not end at this moment. How do you carry on? When your mate is gone, how do you cope with decisions you used to share as a team? How and when do you deal with dating again? Where do you find the strength to start anew?

Learn how to:
Accept the inevitability of death
Discuss issues you don't want to ponder when you're grieving, including resuscitation, power of attorney, burial versus cremation, type of memorial service, donation of body parts, disposal of personal property, and remarriage
Support your loved one through diagnosis, treatment and the dying process
Live together as normally as you can for as long as you can
Encourage your lover to let go when the time is right
Give yourself permission to mourn-for as long as you choose
Cry, howl and be angry if that's what it takes
Treasure expressions of sympathy, even those that are misguided
Delay major decisions until you're ready to face them
Protect yourself in survival mode
Slowly start to live again