Dealing With a Terminal Illness

After your terminal illness was diagnosed, you remember the exact second you heard your doctor say "I'm sorry, your illness is terminal." Getting cancer newsYou remember how it felt as if someone had socked you in the stomach, leaving you breathless; how everything just seemed to go white. It felt as if time stopped. You felt cold and your mind went blank after you heard the words. The doctor may have talked for hours or minutes; you don't remember. You don't really remember how you got home or anything else that happened that day, but you have burned into your mind the day you heard the words "there is no cure."

You need to talk to your friends and family, but what do you say? You need answers to all the questions running through your head, but where do you go? What now?

Start with a clear understanding what the doctor said to you when he/she said "there is no cure." Your doctor may have followed this up by saying "we can treat this with X, Y, and/or Z."

Once you clearly understand what you have been told, what you are facing, begin asking the questions. Don't forget one of the most important things, make sure your needs are understood and are being met!!! Let's begin with understanding the meaning of terminal illness.

Treatment Options

Understanding the Five Phases

Learning the Language

What to do For Family or Friends With This Diagnosis

What to Expect in the Final Days and Weeks

Resources and Websites for This Section

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