Seeking Comfort while Starting the New Year Steeped in Sorrow
Dear Carol: Like many people, I’ve always looked toward each new year with a certain amount of excitement. Even during difficult times, I’ve viewed the yearly calendar change as a chance for better things to come. This year, I’m stuck in such sadness that it seems impossible to find hope anywhere. My husband of 45 years has terminal cancer. He’s fought the good fight, but we’ve decided that hospice is necessary for pain control and quality of life. I feel as though I’m giving up on him by turning to hospice, but there seems to be no choice. He is dying, and I can’t deny it, yet the idea of facing the coming new year without him is nearly unbearable. I’m not asking for false hope, but any words of comfort will help. ~KL
Dear KL: Your situation is heartbreaking. There’s no way you’ll be able to avoid the deep sorrow of sitting with someone you love, knowing that in weeks or days you’ll be facing life without them. My condolences to you and your husband. Deciding on hospice care is about accepting a terminal diagnosis, of course, but it’s not
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