ABOUT THE BOOK
This book is for those who are providing care for a loved one with a serious illness or for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. It offers a loving, compassionate approach to caregiving and a gentle, healing path in grief.
I had no idea how we would manage the complex and continuous needs after my husband, David, was diagnosed with cancer. We often found ourselves not knowing how to confidently make our best decisions in the midst of shock and difficulties. There appeared to be no clear direction to address the chaos and unknowns. Like so many others, we had to figure it out one step at a time. Fortunately, along the way we discovered two important things that supported our heart-wrenching journey: gratitude and being present. I believe both placed us on a course where we could find light and hope.
Early on in the journey of dealing with the disease, we learned that allowing gratitude softened the emotional challenges. We looked for things to be thankful for when there was so much to not be thankful for at that time. It was hard, especially when we hit yet another crisis or faced one more particularly low stretch. However, pausing to note goodness or kindness, even if it was brief at first, was important.
We increasingly realized there were things for which we could be grateful. The first was that David was still alive and had been medically stabilized. As time went on, we realized we did not need to focus solely on the hardships. Instead, we began to greatly appreciate those people who supported us and surrounded us with love and care. We became thankful for little things that made our lives easier. Before we knew it, we had chosen to face the journey of terminal illness with gratitude as a passenger.
