Hi Sandhya

It sounds like you have been through a lot in your life and are continuing to experience many more challenging experiences.

It seems to me that as we age, death becomes prevalent in our lives. I remember a colleague confronting her own mortality when her best friend suddenly received a terminal diagnosis of cancer at 40.

I have a good friend in his 70s and recently his two brothers both passed within a short space of time. He copes by reflecting on his memories and looking at pictures.

Death is a natural part of life, but it can be extremely distressing.

Having a support network is very important, if you are losing a lot of people that you care about it is important to make some new connections. You can never replace those people. But being alone can be extremely difficult.

A lot of the time people cope by being hopeful. But in the case of loss, this isn’t relevant. Perhaps acceptance is something to work towards? I find a saying comforting. The people you love are a part of you. So you can honour their memory as you live.

Do you have any strategies for coping with the feelings of loss that you are experiencing? As someone with a chronic pain condition, I’m curious about learning more about how you cope with pain. This is something I struggle with.