As a student council, I am intrigued by the workings of the human mind. The strength and resilience of the human species - even in the face of death - fascinates me
Because my father, Richard Lloyd Barker, happened when I was 14, I did not the maturity to understand the thoughts. in his head as he was dying. But anyway, so entrenched in a battle with mesothelioma, dad had found peace
As an adult, I have to wonder :. Where did he get the strength? How had he found peace?
Taboo Topic
Relatively few people choose to openly discuss death, suffering and death process.
Certainly, the subject is often treated as taboo, and it is not something I take lightly. Caregivers and patients can better understand the emotions arising from a terminal illness by examining the perspectives of those who have had an intimate experience with suffering and death.
Sorting and planning
In 1997, lung specialist and terminal cancer patient Dr. Roger C. Bone wrote "Guide to a dying person to die." His article provides tips for people recently diagnosed with a terminal illness, as well as personal and illuminating insights into their emotions and reactions.
bone offers patients this advice in the early days of a cancer diagnosis.
Do not sweat the friends and family members who attend unconsciously
Sometimes our relatives and friends can show strange behavior after hearing the news. They can answer you differently, perhaps a tone unintentionally condescending. Once the shock wears off, things will probably return to normal.
Be honest about need time alone.
Families can sometimes choke a newly diagnosed patient because they feel their loved one needs proximity. But there are times when we all need is time alone to treat our thoughts.
You can be your own lawyer.
We may need the advice and confidence pastors, counselors and our spouses. However, it allows patients to know they are in charge and immediately involved in the processes of decision making.
The Journey
As caregivers begin a journey of mesothelioma, experiences on the road may miss because all they see is the inevitable end
My father received a prognosis of only a few months. he lived for 13. Though times were hard, this year held some of the best memories I have of my father.
In retrospect, I can see the transition from a physical to be one rooted in spirituality and inner peace. When the physical body of my father began to fail him, his mental life thriving. He learned to appreciate many things he has not noticed before - sunrise, the smell of freshly cut grass and the taste of freshly fallen snow.
Finding meaning in suffering
Dad seemed to have a kind of spiritual awakening when he was in the midst of his physical and mental battle with mesothelioma.
By studying existentialism for a class, survivor of the work I was introduced to the Holocaust, neurologist and psychologist Viktor Frankl. In 1946, he published "Man Search for Meaning," which has sold over 12 million copies.
Mainly, the book details the psychological foundations of those who endure great suffering, namely the concentration inmates of the camps. However, Frankl affirms the universality of suffering in all human beings.
"If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning to suffering, "wrote Frankl. He also said that without the death and suffering, human life would never be complete.
When, in desperation, search
mesothelioma Enduring is not easy for the carer and family, but it is most difficult for the diagnosed person.
it would be tempting to throw your hands in the air and shouting a stream of oaths. but after airing part this frustration and anger, we're still here.
While the body of Frankl suffered prison ravages of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, his mind spiritual fulfillment. Similarly, when my father dealt with mesothelioma, it has stated its worst spiritual and physical best.
He did not allow the terminally ill to destroy his mind. Dad found that even as cancer ravaged his body, he could not touch his soul.
A powerful line Frankl's book reminds me of my father's strength: "It is this spiritual freedom - which can not be removed - which makes life meaningful and useful"
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