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    Fall seven times, stand up eight ~Japanese proverb
    from Guardian
    Joined dxpnet on January 14, 2007.
    Mr. Nice, I am so very sorry you are going through this.
    Anticipatory grief is a grief we tend to keep within ourselves. Not everyone experiences it and if they do, it is different for every person. You, as the loved one, may go through the 5 stages of grief (denial, bargaining, depression, anger and finally acceptance) first with anticipatory grief then again while mourning your loss. Anxiety, dread, guilt, and feeling overwhelmed are also very common.
    The most difficult challenge with anticipatory grief is that it is difficult to endure for an extended period of time. Your mind can only handle so much angst and therefore, it may blank out self-protectively. This does not mean you are cold or uncaring. It does not mean you do not love and care for your Dad.
    As vb mentioned earlier, denial places us on an emotional auto-pilot as a way to cope ???self preservation. This is perhaps a way to insulate yourself before the pain of grief happens. But we can't escape grief. Please don??t feel guilty about anything you may be feeling or not feeling. Instead, focus on making the best out of each moment you can spend with your Dad and focus on the positives, such as forgiveness and comforting each other in these precious moments.
    Peace, prayers, blessings and many hugs.
    xoxox