Please remember that these are only a few of the possibilities... that what you feel today maybe very different from what you feel tomorrow.

If any physical symptoms or health problems persist, it is important that you contact your doctor for evaluation and advice.

PHYSICAL RESPONSES
Grief can express itself in physical symptoms, such as:

Tightness in the throat
Change in or loss of appetite
Restlessness or change in sleep patterns
Unexplainable lack of energy
Inability to concentrate
Difficulty making decisions
Confusion
Intense level of feelings
Sudden change in feelings
Empty feeling in the body

COMMON FEELINGS
In response to your grief, you may:

Feel that the loss can't be real
Feel that these past few weeks did not happen
Sense your loved one's presence
Keep thinking about the life and death of your loved one
Relive times in the past and feel guilty or angry about things that happened or did not happen
Feel angry at how unfair your experience seems to be
Feel that you have been cheated
Feel that no one knows or understands what you are experiencing
Need to tell and retell the stories about your loved one and this experience
Feel mood changes over the slightest thing, including music or smells
Cry without warning and in unexpected places and times
Feel like you want to run away
Desire to stay busy enough that you will not feel the pain
Fear what will happen next, because this was never supposed to happen

SURVIVING THE IMPOSSIBLE
For as much as you may hate this, it is important to remember that life is not the same now. It is real that you want it to be the same as it was. For the next few weeks or even months much of life may be about surviving.

Surviving the pain
Surviving everyone else's attempts to make you feel better
Surviving the changes you never invited into or wanted in your life

The following are some suggestions about surviving these days ahead:

Live one day at a time. You know better than most people how fragile life is. Live today as much as you are able. Be gentle with yourself if you are not able to be very active.
Take care of yourself-your body, your mind and your spirit. This means: Relax-Exercise-Eat well. While you may not have the time to take care of yourself, it is important.
Give yourself permission to "backslide". It is a natural progression in the process of mourning. You are not getting worse, you are surviving.
Do not try to do everything yourself. You may not have the same amount of strength or concentration you did before. Give yourself either extra time to accomplish tasks or someone to help complete tasks.
Excessive use of drugs, food, shopping, alcohol or any other activity is not helpful. You may feel good for a moment, but it will not help in the long run.
Meet others who have an understanding of at least part of your process. This may mean a bereavement class or support group in your area, connecting with other CJD families or attending the Annual CJDF Family Conference. It is important to know that you are not alone, even though you may feel very alone.
Do what works for you. The world around you may try to tell you what is best for you. Only you truly know that. Do what is right for you.