Grief & Loss

Morning, It is so nice to know AARP has a group I can connect with in this time of need. Thank you, Deborah D Carter

My losses occurred many years ago, but I find myself still struggling, especially during this time of the year, which is supposed to be happy and cheerful. My favorite brother died suddenly in 1990; he would have been 68 years old on December 3rd. I lost my mother on December 12, 2004. Her death was sudden and unexpected, and she literally died in my arms. My only sister committed suicide on December 21, 2012. There is no doubt that  I have been traumatized by these losses. I need to know that I’m not alone with the tremendous sadness that threatens to engulf me.

Hello my name is Tina I'm 62. I was married to a wonderful man. In December of 2019 he started with a single cloth and for the next year he went through a battery of tests. he was put on inhaler because they found out he had lesions scarring basically in both his lungs never got any better but worse. He ended up an oxygen and got extremely worse at one point during the height of covid. I had a call 911 cuz he could not get any Oxygen his pulse socks auction in his system was 54 he was gray he end up in the hospital with double long pneumonia and a blood clot in his left lung that is when he found out that he needed a lung transplant. That was an extremely scary time and I thought for sure I'd be losing him and I almost did. He was o negative in his blood and for the most right he can give blood because anyone can use it when it comes to a transplant it's one of the most difficult ones because you have to have the same blood type otherwise it just wouldn't work and June of 2020 he got a

I lost my husband of 55 years April 2nd.  I’m lost, he was my everything.  We did everything together.We have two great adult kids, 3 beautiful granddaughters and a 9 month old great grandson.They have their lives, which is what we always wanted,…I just need someone to chat with.  Tell them how wonderful he is,…share memories,…‘Help me maybe get through another day without him…

Just seeing how everyone else moves on after losing your best friend, the father of your Cullen,  your spouse. Been 11 years and I can't seem find the way. (If anyone take a moment respond is be very grateful.  If not i totalitarian get it)  Happy Hokkaido.    At least TRY HAVE HAPPY HOLIDAY 😊 🤗 XOXO 

 The first of Oct. this year, I lost one of my dearest and closest friends. I just would like to know if there are any of you out there who feel like the Holidays this year are a little hard to get excited about. Sincerely, Jill

My brother passed after decades of MS. He put up a good fight but he left us on Dec. 27th I am currently looking for a bereavement group in my community. 

My 92 year old dad died 8/2 after a brief but painful battle with cancer. On 8/3, I discovered that my cousin had been financially abusing him since February when he started using drugs again. I'm finding it very difficult to grieve for my dad when I now have to file a police report, report the abuse to the state, file disputes with the credit union, etc. I am devastated by the betrayal. My dad was exceedingly kind to my cousin and he took advantage of him. 

   I lost my Father last year and I miss him, but it is complicated. He was 88 years old and died from some kind of infection in a hospital. Unfortunately due to timing and distance I was not able to be there when it happened. It was the same with my mother as far as not being able to see here pass. I know that in his own way that my father loved me. He was a good provider and he took care of what needed to be taken care of. He taught me a lot of life lessons along the way. My dad was quite frugal so we did not go things like ball games, but we did go fishing and camping. I loved my father but we he was not one to show affection toward his children which I am pretty sure he got from his father who was somewhat more strict than my father was. He had anger issues apparently because his father did  not show him much love. I know that I cant blame my father for being how he was because it was what his father showed him. He was kinder than my Grandfather. My father has 3 sist

  I need some advice for the next steps after my husband died.  It has been 3 months and we had a trust.  It is now just one trustee and 3 adult children as beneficiaries,  Do I need to do anything now or can the beneficiaries handle when I pass.

And the baby girl three older brothers two of them died last year I have one left and I'm the baby girl he had a stroke we almost lost him I didn't get to see my other two brothers before they died, okay I dyed myself three times in the last four years when was brought back God has a purpose for me 68 years old I live in Nevada. I also just a month ago lost my daughter's father he was found dead in the middle of the crosswalk. Of course my mom my dad my husband made 2016 he met all night so I lost him five years before I lost him.Sometimes I pray at night but God to take me but I live in that independent home with eight others.Last year I lost my doggie, Ginger. She was 13 years old deaf and blind and I was sick and would she of course just absorbed my pain. We adopted her for my husband for when I would go to do my volunteer work. I moved up to Ely Nevada for 2 years, and got her a kitten pure black his name is pepper, and he was her seeing eye 🐈 I can't have pets too so a friend of

Hello,Is there a central Arkansas grief group? I saw a Community in North Arkansas but that's too far. Any info will be helpful. Thx.

How did you find a social life after your world was turned upside down by the loss of your spouse?  Everything is so different NOW!

I lost my husband August 1 of this year (2025). We were married 37 years almost 38 when he had a massive stroke and passed away about 42 hours later. It’s hard to understand how a person can be so healthy and full of life one day and gone the next with no sign, no warning.  It’s just unfathomable.  he just had his 64th birthday, and was laughing making everybody else giggle at his comment, next year I get to go file for Social Security. A week later he was gone. I don’t know what doing. I’m tired of putting on a brave face. I feel like I’m masquerading in somebody else’s body, wondering when I’m going to return to normal, if there is such a thing. This year has been tough, I’ve lost the love of my life, and three jobs which filled some voids where he is missing. I’m just wondering if there’s anybody else out there that’s like me who has some words of wisdom that they can share?

How do you deal with the grief and the process of disposing of my parent's furniture and other possessions from their apartment?

Anyone else has "thoughts" on this topic?

Are you grieving the loss of a loved one (or a job, home, lifestyle, friend, ability...there are so many types of losses). This year, with the pandemic, grief is even more complex, and we are all likely grieving the loss of some of our treasured holiday traditions this year.  Regardless of the type of loss you are experiencing, grief is unique to everyone. There is no one right way to grieve. We all just need to do what feels right to us and try to have healthy outlets (like expressing yourself in this Online Community).  I originally wrote this column in 2012 after my niece died from suicide just after New Year's. That Christmas of 2012 was incredibly difficult for all of us. But I learned a lot. This year I've updated the column to reflect our current pandemic situation.  I hope some of my tips will help carry you through this season. Please share what you've learned in the comments below! Sending you peace and comfort this holiday season and throughout the year. 

Three adult stepchildren were pushing for burial of their father's ashes last winter.  I was dealing with taxes, estate, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork!  So I gave oldest stepdaughter the ashes, deed to the cremation garden plot I had bought, and plans for memorial stone, a work in progress, information about her father's military service and paperwork that I had already done on that.  I had informed all three of  progress as the process unfolded. A couple of weeks ago I received an email, "Good News, Dad's ashes will be buried next Thursday but not in the plot you bought.  We chose a different plot.  Hope you can come." I did go, and right, not the plot I had chosen which was for both of us.  This plot is only for one, and the plaque is the basic military plaque, with only his name, branch of service and DOB, DOD.  Married 44 years. Primary caregiver for last 2 years.

10 years ago my mom had a heart attack and I started taking care of her. It's been an up and down path.  6 years ago we moved where we're at now hoping to be closer to family.  4 years ago her kidneys start to fail.  She had to start doing dialysis. On June 8th 2025 you passed away.  For the last 6 years I haven't worked I've just been taking care of her.  Now I have nothing except our cats.  I'm going to end up homeless losing everything.  By dealing with my own mental health I'm 50 years old.  I got three older brothers but they've never helped now that she's gone they just ignoring me.  I feel so lost. She wasn't just my mom she was my best friend.   She leaned on me and I leaned on her.  now I don't know how to go forward.   

No messages to me.  I know I don't come here regularly, but I'd appreciate a hello from someone.

▶️To reply, click on reply button at bottom of this post. Enter your text. Click reply button again.◀️   WE cry, rejoice, talk, share!   Whatever YOU need, WE are here for YOU.   ***YOU are a very SPECIAL person and WE want to hear from YOU***   Grief & Loss Team 🤗

My husband of 45 years died after just a 3 week hospital stay of AML.  He had been healthy our entire married life except for the summer before when he contracted Lyme's disease.  Maybe that disguised his fatigue he must have been feeling shortly before we went to the hospital for shortness of breath.  Anyway, he and I never thought he wouldn't be returning home from that hospital stay.  So lots of tears, lonely days and nights and all the rest.  Unbelievably, two of my three adult children are getting married in 2026. We are all over the place with happy and sad emotions - my daughter won't have her Dad to walk her down the aisle.  I'll be by myself thru all the social events that are part of each wedding instead of having my husband by my side. I just changed my primary AARP membership from his name to mine which led me here. My faith tells me I'll see him again but its a hard road to travel as a widow.  

Husband, Jim, died in July.  He was here at home and was able to be at home until his death.  I was the sole caregiver and was the one who provided meds and care.  Right now I'm having memories of his dying time, which was two days of difficult breathing, heart rate changes, and deepening coma.  He did not have any pain, but his dying time was not peaceful.  He was not in pain, but I was.   And while I can talk about him and our time together, 45 years, I really need to talk about his dying time, and the time after his death, when I wrote the obituary, made cremation arrangements and drove myself to pick up the ashes.  There is no one who wants to hear that story.  And I need someone to hear, and I need to tell it. He did have 3 adult children, but they "wanted to give me  space" and did not contact me.   I feel like I am just going down that spiral, and not sure what will happen.

Just thought I would share this - CBS Local News: 12/18/2025 - Downtown wind phone helps grieving Atlantans connect with lost loved ones  The 3 minute CBS local news video is on the right side of the news page.Touching.  

20 years ago this year one of my best friends who became my bro-in-law left us. He experienced a "stroke" and was on life support for a few days. During very terrible and terrifying conversations with Sis, she advised they had NEVER spoken about end-of-life nor options; she chose to leave that decision to his Dad (a person in his 70s)... Based on my own personal experiences and this, I hope everyone will start opening up about these issues. After all of this, imo, leaving questions is not kind nor is not discussing with those who matter. The point of my post is please everyone think about what matters "after". Please don't cause undue stress or mourning on anyone if you can. There are multiple legitimate societies and websites who can guide the process before and following. As an example, 20 years ago I chose organ donation, medical research, cremation, "green" internment. These are witnessed documents which are somewhat like the will "rich" people have. P