Living with Life-Threatening Illness

A hands-on guide for patients, families, and caregivers on how tolive an affirming existence while facing the physical and spiritualtraumas of life-threatening illness.

Every page of this book reveals the author's keen awareness of thechallenges faced by patients, families, and caregivers dealing withlife threatening illnesses. In page after page readers willdiscover clear, practical, and wise suggestions that are wellgrounded in personal experience. Don't we all know somebody whoneeds this book now?
--Robert Kastenbaum, Ph.D., Editor, Omega Journal of Death andDying Foreword by Charles A. Corr.

Responses to Life-Threatening Illness.

Understanding the Illness Experience.

Understanding the Road Before.

The Crisis of Diagnosis.

Living with Disease.

Coping with Recovery.

Facing the Crisis of Death.

Facing Illness as a Family.

Coping with Loss.

The Sensitive Caregiver.

Conclusion.

Appendix 1: Resources.

Appendix 2: Examples of Health Care Proxies and Living Wills. "Every page of this book reveals the author's keen awareness of the challenges faced by patients, families, and caregivers dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Practical and wise suggestions that are well grounded in personal experience." (Robert Kastenbaum, Ph.D., Editor, Omega--Journal of Death and Dying) KENNETH J. DOKA is a professor of gerontology at the Graduate School of the College of New Rochelle and a Lutheran minister. He is the former president of the Association of Death Education and Counseling and the author of Disenfranchised Grief and Death and Spirituality. A sudden heart attack, a diagnosis of breast cancer, a positive test result for HIV?Living with Life-Threatening Illness helps patients, their families, and caregivers find the support they need for dealing with one of life's most difficult and challenging experiences. Written by Kenneth J. Doka?an expert in the field of death and dying and an ordained minister?the book maps out practical guidelines for creating a plan of action that will help with understanding the disease, knowing when to seek medical help, choosing the best treatment, negotiating with caregivers for mutual satisfaction, and maintaining self-esteem while the body is experiencing intense physical changes. A hands-on guide for patients, families, and caregivers to living an affirming existence while facing the physical and spiritual traumas of life-threatening illness.