How To Make the Holiday Weekend Special for a Loved One With Mesothelioma

Whether this weekend means celebrating Passover or Easter, or just enjoying family time together, the holidays can be bittersweet when you have a family member struggling with malignant mesothelioma.

There are so many emotions that rise to the surface — grief, sadness, guilt for both the healthy and the ill — that it is sometimes hard to find a way to enjoy the time together.

There’s no reason to let the specter of death ruin an otherwise happy time, especially when you know that it may be one of the last times that you are able to celebrate together. Here are some ideas to make sure your time together is truly meaningful and memorable.

• Take advantage of the fact that your family will be together and use the time to reminisce about favorite memories. Far too often family members end up waiting until eulogies and memorial services to share cherished memories, and all who are present end up being aware of how much the person who has passed would have enjoyed hearing the old stories again. When you revisit these memories together, you let your loved one know what an impression they have made on your life.
• Take family photos together. Use the time together to capture cherished moments.
• Share past photos of memorable family events.
• When you’re gathered at the table, propose a toast to your loved one, and let everybody take a moment to share a sincere thought about what the person with mesothelioma has meant to them.

If your loved one has recently passed away as a result of mesothelioma, family gatherings can be very challenging, especially if it is the first year since they are gone.

Instead of letting their absence pass in silent tears, find a way to incorporate their memory into your celebration, perhaps by including a tradition that you shared with them while they were alive.

Mesothelioma can be a cruel disease that robs you of time with your loved ones, but with a little work, you can turn a sad occasion into a celebration of their life. If you need support, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.

Written by Terri Oppenheimer

Terri Heimann Oppenheimer is the head writer of our Mesothelioma.net news blog. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in English. Terri believes that knowledge is power and she is committed to sharing news about the impact of mesothelioma, the latest research and medical breakthroughs, and victims’ stories.

Learn more about and contact Terri