Call Me If You Need Anything and Other Things Not to Say

By Cathy Peterson

Book Overview

Many people shy away from those who have terminal illnesses or have suffered other tragedies or losses, because they do not know what to do or to say. They want to be helpful, to show their concern, but they feel awkward and afraid their actions or words will be inappropriate. Call Me If You Need Anything...and Other Things Not to Say can help even the most unsure provide care and comfort to others during the challenging times of their lives. With insights from personal experience, Cathy Peterson turns good intentions into real help and encouragement for the patient and family. She provides sensible advice, not philosophical rhetoric, on everything from sending cards to bringing food, to spending time, to sharing condolences. Peterson even includes guidance on what not to do or say. Call Me If You Need Anything...and Other Things Not to Say is straightforward guidance on how to show that you really do care.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0827204981
• ISBN13: 9780827204980
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Chalice Press
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Very helpful

Simple, heartfelt messages from someone who has been in the thick of it. I really appreciated her advice about how to help a friend who is going through a terminal illness...at the beginning, during and after.

Practical guide for grief support

Cathy Peterson has composed a practical and effective guidebook on how to be supportive of persons experiencing loss and grief. (She also includes a number of things NOT to say or do.) Her suggestions are based on her own experience of losing a beloved husband to cancer. I was so impressed with this book that I bought a copy for each of our church's leaders, for them to read, discuss, and use.

Useful! Useful! Useful!

What an engaging yet profoundly practical book chock-full of specifics for those who want to offer "a cup of water" in Jesus' name. I will not shelve this book.

Call me if you need anything.......

Cathy has written a practical advice book that anyone can use. It would be good for churches to hand out to those who represent the church in their ministry to members. This book would also be good resource for trust officers, as well as the everyday person who would "do" something if they only knew what to do. The book gives the reader an insight into Cathy and her wonderful attitude on life.

Inspiring and Practical

When a friend or loved one is coping with profound grief, we all feel compassion and want to help in any way possible. Very few of us, however, know the right thing to do and say, ultimately choosing to do nothing rather than mis-step. Cathy takes us through those emotions and provides inspiring and practical advice on the small things we can all do to emotionally support friends in their time of need. Cathy's first book, "Flashlight Walking," took readers through the emotionally gut-wrenching process of slowly losing her husband after a long battle with cancer, made more difficult and complicated by the downfall of his employer, Enron. In this book, Cathy works through the lessons learned in the grieving process.