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Slide 13 of 20
Notes:
It’s essential to have open communication
Denial and avoidance simply do not work
Patients and spouses need to talk - in detail, about the medical problems, treatments, family issues, the future, etc.
If you can’t do this easily, spouses can go to the Dr. and talk there -
Or get a therapist, and devote one hour per week to talking with a helpful facilitator to provide structure and safety
Children, as I mentioned before, also need to be included
One strategy is to have a weekly family discussion - not just on the illness, but that could be included as a topic
And after you’ve talked about it - talk about it again
There can never be too much open discussion in a family - although it is important to keep discussion respectful - this isn’t a time for attacks
