GriefSPEAK: What would you do? – Mari Dias Nardolillo

Woman enjoying healthy breakfast bowl.

by Mari Dias Nardolillo, EdD, contributing writer, grief and grieving Heather has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Stage 4 metastasized breast cancer to the lung and brain. The chemotherapy makes her feel worse than the cancer. As a 50-year-old divorced woman with one adult daughter, Heather wants to opt for “death with dignity.”  Her…

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GriefSPEAK: Voir Dire – Mari Nardolillo Dias

Wet cobblestone street at night.

by Mari Nardolillo Dias, EdD, contributing writer on grief and grieving The receptionist at her PCP reviewed Katerina’s information. “Any changes in address, insurance, emergency contact information?” Katerina lost her breath; however, the receptionist did not notice as she never looked up from her computer. She repeated, “Katerina, is all the information the same?” Katerina…

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GriefSPEAK: A happy death – Mari Nardolillo Dias

White roses on a piece of wood.

by Mari Nardolillo Dias, EdD, contributing writer “To die, to sleep  – To sleep, perchance to dream – ay there’s the rub. For in this sleep of death what dreams may come.” (William Shakespeare) Griffin was a dear cousin of mine. Like most cousin relationships in the 50’s and 60’s, we played manhunt and hide…

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GriefSPEAK: Death ends a life. Not a relationship – Mari Nardolillo Dias

An orange rose is blooming in a garden.

by Mari Nardolillo Dias, EdD, contributing writer on grief and grieving The pictures on my refrigerator door have morphed throughout time. High school graduation yearbook pictures morphed into wedding photos and images of newborns. Today all refrigerator photos have been replaced with obituaries and prayer cards. In addition, many images of pets who have crossed the…

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RI woman in Washington County died from Powassan, a rare Tick-Borne virus

A tick is sitting on a green leaf.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is reporting a confirmed case of the tick-borne Powassan virus disease (Powassan) detected in a Rhode Island resident who later died after contracting the disease. Laboratory testing was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which confirmed the finding earlier this month. The case involved…

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