Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange
Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [illness]

16 questions
83
votes
6 answers

How to invite terminal ill / very sick friends to a party?

My grandparents will be celebrating 65 years of marriage in a few months. The anniversary is celebrated with a big party for the extended family and my grandparents' friends. Many of my grandparents' friends are old people (85+) with bad health…
Vingtoft
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59
votes
4 answers

Alternative to "Get well soon" card for terminally ill?

My children would like to make a "get well soon" card for a family member. However, this person is terminally ill. What's an alternative message that conveys a similar sentiment?
paj28
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43
votes
5 answers

Dementia: How to cut off useless advice to a caregiver from well meaning people?

My husband has moderate dementia. The exact cause has been variously diagnosed, but it is probably not Alzheimer's. I haven't broadcast the fact, but, of course my friends and some of my closer acquaintances know, and the therapists. I am…
user1760
24
votes
3 answers

Sick grandparent(s) moved in and are now inciting anger and stress

We're a family of three, my mom, my dad and I. My dad's father has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and, based on what we know so far, there's no chance for a recovery and not much life is left in him. Both my grandma and grandpa are over…
anon
19
votes
4 answers

Disclosing medical condition on relationship start

I'm 30, male, been with an IBD somewhere in between UC and Chrons since I was a teenager, during the past 10 years I've had several big operations and many small ones. I've had an ileostomy (I'm male, picture for demonstration) in the past, between…
InterP
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12
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1 answer

How do I tell my wife that a family member has just died with an illness they both have?

My wife has multiple sclerosis. Fortunately, hers is of the relapsing-remitting variety, which is one of the milder (in the long term) ones, and her treatment is doing wonders for her; she's only had two relapses in the last 7+ years, and she's…
Rain
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11
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4 answers

Chronic illness at work; navigating genuine "how are you?" questions

I'm a 23-year-old woman in the United States. I have several chronic illnesses that in turn manifest in more short-term symptoms. I doubt all the particulars are actually relevant here (correct me if I'm wrong) but my laundry list of issues…
Alex
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11
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1 answer

People assuming dead person's intentions

Background: My mom died about 1.5 years ago of cancer. I'm 31 and have always been a Mama's boy, I'm proud of it, I'm an extremely good cook, I can darn my socks and so on. Since my mom died tho, I have been really lacking in some areas, mostly…
beginner
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10
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1 answer

Sty on my eye, how to handle a meeting with my lecturer?

Today I had a rather larger sty on my lower eyelid, big enough that you could unmistakably see it within a couple of metres. I also had a meeting with my lecturer, that I needed to go to in order to ask some questions about an assignment. On the…
codythecoder
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1 answer

How can I make it up to my best friend after I forgot her birthday?

TLDR; I’ve had a lot going on recently so forgot about my friend’s birthday until the following day and now she won’t speak to me. How do I fix it? TW for talk of depression So, the base of it is that I have been struggling a lot with my mental…
Wolfe of the night sky
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1 answer

Is it OK to wish someone who's terminally ill "Happy Birthday"?

Let's say Alice is dying and doctors have told her she's only got 5 years left to live. It's her birthday today. Is it OK to wish her happy birthday, or will it just remind her that she's got one fewer year left to live? Technically the "you've got…
Allure
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5
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3 answers

How to express sympathy to a very great friend whose father is dying very soon?

Right now I am confronted with a difficult situation where I want to ask for your empathetic recommendation. The father of one of my very best friends strongly suffers on cancer and is dying very soon (potentially even today). She told me about the…
Sandro
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3 answers

How do you open/close a friendly personal message to somebody with a terminal illness?

Somebody I have a close but not entirely personal relationship with (think long time boss, landlord, doctor, etc.) was recently diagnosed with grade 3 brain cancer, ending their career. I sent them a Merry Christmas email, and due to lack of knowing…
Jason C
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2
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What is the proper etiquette for when someone you're not very close with is dealing with a terminally ill family member?

I'm currently enrolled in graduate school. I've been having a lot of trouble getting in touch with my advisor recently. He finally responded with apologies that he has been dealing with a terminally ill family member. I want to make him feel that I…
Scruffy
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How to get my mom to seek professional help for her mental illness?

My mom has a mental illness. She believes she's seeing bugs and parasites and saying they're on me and on her and on our dog, and there is not. I would like her to make an appointment to see a therapist, as her mental illness is getting very bad. I…
Jeremy Thompson
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