Hi everyone

I recently read an article early last week in a major newspaper in Sydney that quoted figures about your risk of heart-ache in the 24 hours after the death of a long term partner then at the various stages thereafter.

I think this was the article
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/ ... 6240781344

They tracked nearly 2000 adults who survived a heart attack and found that among those who had just lost a loved one the risk of a heart attack soared 21 times in the first day.

The risk rate remained six times higher than normal through the first week and declined slowly over the course of the first month, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Also found this one when doing the web search.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/grieving-r ... xUJPSPp6Kw

Scientists have found new evidence that grief might actually break your heart. A new study shows that people grieving the death of a close loved one could have a heart attack risk that is 20 times higher than normal.

I've put this information on our COMMUNITY FORUM because I think there is a lot of information we as celebrants could share with the general public about death, dying and funeral related matters here on this forum where it can be read by everyone.

Shows how important it is to stress the practical support needed by people from their close network at such times.

Hi Rona, This article I can relate to, as I was married just a year and at the age of 28 without warning my beautiful wife died leaving me heart broken and with a two month old baby girl to care for and a very demanding job as an oil company rep. My mother was a tower of strength & took me back home & became the mother carer for my daughter which in hindsight now amazes me as she had already raised ten children and was preparing for a life less hectic with more time with my father who was a commercial fisherman and was away at sea more than at home. ( Thus the ten children. ) Some months later due to a comment made by my father I asked my oldest sister if she could care for my daughter, which after a few weeks we both mutually agreed it would be best if she adopted her as she wasn't medically fit enough to have another child having given birth to three boys and was desperate to have a daughter. A decision now at this time of my life I don't regret.
My point here is here that although I had agreed to the adoption this now added to the already ache in my heart that took some years to disappear all of which according to my doctor brought about the early stages of a now minor heart disorder which isn't life threatening as I am very well aware of how to manage it.
I also believe this same grief is evident in divorces as again in a lot of cases someone's heart is broken & there is clear evidence that heart problems can arise from this stress also.