Stress Center Peer Support

It's odd how my palpitations came back the moment I heard today at 3 p.m. What makes her death worse it that I haven't seen her in years. She lives in Poland and I don't even have a curret passport to go. I just dread anxiety that will come after grieving. It's odd. We were not that close and she was not the best person, yet it's still so disturbing...

Juno, I'm sorry to hear about your loss and that you are unable to get to Poland. Hope things get better for you. Paislee

Juno, I also want to express my sympathy at the loss of your grandmother.

I can't remember where I read this, but any death, esp. of someone close, is a potent reminder of our own mortality. We know what happens to each and every one of us, but that does not make it more bearable. How we come to terms with that reality is highly individual. My way is to try and live as best I can while I have time. I hope your grandmother lived well and did not suffer in the end.

juno, I am sorry to hear of the loss of your grandmother.It doesn't matter if you were close. I know you just hated to hear of her passing. I hate to hear of any dying. It always increases a person anxiety and you think about your own self your family.sorry you can't be there that might help. It hurts to lose some one even a friend

Juno, please accept my condolences. It is definitely a grieving process so let it take its course. Grieving is good for us. However, please don't stress over things that you cannot control (like the passport issue). Healing will come in time. Just cherish the memories. And, again, I am so sorry for your loss.

Thank you so much everyone. And Tina, I agree that the death of someone close reminds you of your own mortality. I have been thinking about how I grieve, about how to describe it...the moment I find out about someone's death it seems like someone hit me very hard with a sharp object over the head and that trauma I carry with me. Sometimes I forget about it and laugh, other times it is buried deep within and surfaces. It's such an odd feeling, truly like no other. It's something that works so deep in my brain.
But again, thank you so much for your kind thoughts. So far my anxiety has not come back, instead I get angry and cranky when someone passes away. Hopefully the anxiety won't come.
I decided to make a package and send it overseas to my grandfather with his favorite tea, chocolates and other things he likes and include photos of me and my boyfriend who I live with along with photos of our dogs. My boyfriend is an artist and he is going to draw a portrait of my grandmother so we can frame it and include it in the package. That makes me feel better so that at least I can do something and commemorate her passing, while hopefully making my grandfather smile and letting him know I'm thinking of him.

Juno, aside from what I read, I experienced a first hand example with a friend. The death of her husband is what she could not get over until I one day got up the courage to suggest a problem with her own mortality. From then on everything shifted from his death to her siblings' untimely deaths and her feelings about her own.

You used your imagination to do what you describe here to ease everyone's sorrow. Beautiful.

I am old (like being old) but also have intimations of my mortality. One psychiatrist I've read says that fear of death is at the root of some of his patients' issues. They come in with this symptom or that symptom, but then one of four existential concerns can emerge: death, isolation, meaning, freedom. Just thought I'd share this.

Juno, I am so sorry...I know the panicky and doom feeling when you hear news about someone you love...we all do. I've posted how panicky I felt this past Oct. when I got the call late at night that my dad had a stroke. It's been so hard this whole winter, but we are getting thru it. Your post reminded me I have one grandma who is 94 and one who is 89 so, I dread the near future with them too. Keep your head up and let yourself feel what you are feeling and know it won't last forever.