Physical and Mental Health Risks to a Survivor When a Loved One Passes Away
From insomnia to suicidal ideology, a survivor’s well-being may be severely compromised.
Introduction
As many Medium readers know, I lost my beloved wife to the bursting of an undetected aneurysm on November 26, 2023.
My own life forever changed from that day forward.
I would like to pull back the curtain a bit with this article. I have been told my prior pieces on grief have helped many of you and for that I am grateful. My words, however, do not coalesce in a vacuum and I remind you I am in the midst of my own grief journey. I have come to believe grief will not necessarily end but will become increasingly manageable with work and over time.
Today, I want you to know, in unfettered fashion, possibilities regarding your health following a personal loss based on my own recent challenges.
I will be especially candid here.
Lorie survived just over five days in the hospital. Her neurosurgeon, noticing my slumped physical appearance and deep rings around my eyes due to a sense of helplessness and a pronounced lack of sleep, told me early on I needed to take care of myself as — regardless of outcome —…
