30/08/2022
JUDGE NOT
If you or a loved one is dealing with a cancer diagnosis it can be helpful to understand how the grieving process works. Yesterday, I received a call from Sophie whose husband had just been diagnosed with leukaemia. Emotional and desperate she asked that he immediately book an appointment with me to discuss his nutritional needs. He declined offering that he does not need help. She was frustrated with him and took it personally. After all from her perspective she was just trying to be a supportive wife and help. His reality though, is that he is not ready to ask for help. This could be a form of denial and that’s OK.
The 5 Stages of Grief is a theory developed by Elizabeth Kubler – Ross. She offers that we go through 5 stages of loss / grief. It is so important that we bear in mind that grief is complex and that the grieving process is not the same for everyone. Here are the five stages of grief:
1. DENIAL - we can’t yet accept the reality of what is going on and in this case the diagnosis.
2. ANGER - extreme emotional discomfort as we adjust to our new reality.
3. BARGAINING - you will do anything to alleviate or minimize the pain.
4. DEPRESSION – we start to absorb the reality of our present situation.
5. ACCEPTANCE – we are no longer resisting the reality of the situation
