In the previous post on limb loss, I shared with you the stages of grief as defined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.  Now that you can recognize the process one must work through, I wanted to share some positive as well as some negative coping mechanisms.  If you are a family member or friend of the one suffering a loss, be sure to use this list to recognize the unacceptable mechanisms and offer these healthy alternatives.  If the grieving process seems to be stuck or the individual continues in these negative ways, …

As a Nurse Life Care Planner, I often work with individuals who have suffered an amputation.  Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is responsible for outlining what we know today as the grieving process.  This grief cycle is not only associated with those who have lost loved ones, but other types of loss including limb loss.  Initially, there were five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  Later, her theory took on two additional stages: shock and testing.

Shock stage: Initial paralysis at hearing the bad news.
Denial stage: Trying to avoid the inevitable.
Anger …