In this original and humane account of the ravages of uncertainty faced by those who lose a loved one, the author draws on her research and clinical experience to suggest strategies that can cushion the pain, and offers heartening narratives of those who cope with ambiguous losses and manage to move on What happens when there is mourning with no closure, when a family member or a friend who may be still alive is lost to us nonetheless? How, for example, does the mother whose soldier son is missing in action, or the family of an Alzheimer's patient who is suffering from severe dementia, deal with the uncertainty surrounding this kind of loss? Frozen Grief
1(25)
Leaving without Goodbye
26(19)
Goodbye without Leaving
45(16)
Mixed Emotions
61(16)
Ups and Downs
77(16)
The Family Gamble
93(13)
The Turning Point
106(12)
Making Sense out of Ambiguity
118(15)
The Benefit of a Doubt
133(10)
Notes
143(10)
Acknowledgments
153
