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For new caregivers, depression is a clear and present danger. As the fourth of the five stages of grief, first described by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, depression is the manifestation of an intense preoccupation with the present. While loved ones suffer through the symptoms of diseases such as familial…

The bargaining stage of grief begins when the reality of a traumatic event sinks in. As a stage of coping, bargaining is composed of the “if only” that comes as the result of appealing to an outside force or higher power. Someone going through the bargaining phase petitions a higher…

Familial amyloid polyneuropathy is a disease with an onset that appears randomly. With a large range of ages at which symptoms first appear, news of a diagnosis can blindside both those with the disease and their caregivers. The second phase of the grieving process is anger. For a…

The diagnosis of a disease like familial amyloid polyneuropathy in a loved one has a profound impact on the daily life of a new caregiver. Faced with the future implications of this diagnosis, the caregiver likely experiences a range of emotions best defined by the five stages of grief.

The onset of familial amyloid polyneuropathy forces daunting shifts in the relationships between caregivers and their loved one. When my mother-in-law was diagnosed with polyneuropathy, she began to despair of life itself. Her sensitivity to touch made things that were once part of everyday life, such as hugging, nearly impossible.