- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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March 20, 2013
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Stress blog
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March 6, 2012
Grieving is a necessary process
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Friends, colleagues and family members can be a source of strength. A firm handshake, a hug or a pat on the back can be just the tonic for the weary soul. Let me explain.
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If the stress in your life is more than you can cope with, get help right away.
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One of our wonderful nurses in our hospice program shared an article from a scientific journal on the issue of grief. The researchers made one point crystal clear: Grief is a process. Think of grief as a moving target that you can't avoid. There's no fast forward button. There's no quick fix. There's no medication that can resolve this healing process.
Grief is normal. Grief is expected. If you don't embrace the process despite the pain and anguish, healing and transitioning to a "new normal" will never occur.
Everyone knows someone who has tried to short-circuit this process with medications, relationships or work activities. But the grief always resurfaces, often in destructive ways, such as chemical dependency or behavioral issues.
The message may be difficult to hear, but the healing process takes time and you almost always come out the other side as a more sensitive and insightful person. You can then reach out to others and share what you've learned.
14 comments posted
January 25, 2013 3:15 a.m.
Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since I've lost my grandmother. She was 86 years old and I'm glad she is no longer suffering, but I'm in a lot of pain. I get that grieving is a necessary process, but it totally sucks. I hate it and hate the way I feel. So many mixed feelings, restlessness. I felt better yesterday and I was fine today until I got home from visiting my family. I hope this goes away soon for me and all the folks who posted. Thank you for your comments, it helped.
- Riva
October 15, 2012 6:27 a.m.
Hi, My mother died 5/07/12. Saw her a few days before for breakfast. Called ambulance, dad didn't know what to do with her at 1am in the morning and didn't want her out in the cold.. She was dead two days later. Dad, my sister and I am coping, but my partner resents time i spend with my father, who is 87, twice a week. We are retired, I do not neglect him or my congenial duties (keep the house, garden, washing, cooking, and "other extra duties", but after 3 months, he thinks I should be able to cope.. We are still cleaning out her wardrobe and personal things. I am with Dad twice a week ( who is 87) and he thinks I am spending too much time with him and I should just forget and get on. BUt WHAT ABOUT DAD? Any thoughts?
- Monika
August 22, 2012 11:57 p.m.
Holy Toledo, so glad I clkiced on this site first!
- Champ
August 21, 2012 2:01 p.m.
I lost my mother about 7 months ago. She was my best friend, the person I could go to and say anything with out disciminating against me. When she got sick I was her soul care taker adn in this time it always broke my heart when she was down. She was diagnosed with cancer and three months later she was gone. I can say that we did one last thanksgiving and Christmas and that was when everything happened. I always told her how much I loved her. Know to the point in hand being seven months later is it normal to still be grieving. At this point in process I am angry feeling and I need to explain to my husband who gets over things real fast and does not need along time to grieve atleast that what he says that not everyone grieves the same way. If anyone has any suggestions they would be so welcomed at his time. thank you
- Sue
July 31, 2012 10:34 a.m.
I wanted to add that I am also having a hard time grieving for him. I feel he was not the man I thought I knew. His whole family is 2 faced and acted very nice to me to my face, but talked about me behind my back as well. I feel very betrayed by this. A close friend of the family told me the things my husband said and about me, and also the things his family said about me. I did not need to know, but she told me, so the damage has been done. I am just trying to let go and move on with my life. However, I am having a really hard time doing that.
- Glenda
July 31, 2012 10:24 a.m.
After my husband passed away I found out that he was doing alot of things behind my back. He also talked about me to his children from a former marriage, his friends and his siblings. I was very hurt by this because I feel whatever goes on between a husband and wife is their business and not anyone elses. My husband was always sick and during our 6 years of marriage I stayed with him and took care of him. He was not nice to me, and tried to control me, but he couldn't. And, because of the things he did without my knowledge, we had some serious problems, but I stayed with him because he was sick. He practically caused me to be financially ruined. He got us severly in debt. He owed everyone because he was irresponsible with money. I am having a hard time forgiving him even though he will be dead a year in August.
- glenda
July 26, 2012 10:14 a.m.
I unexpectedly lost a 24 year old son and 3 year grandaughter in a car accident. Ive had little support from my job and people in my community. I have no immediate family in the state I live in. I do have a grandson, who was not with them, and the mother and my son were never married. Her family is blaming me because they were at my house that night, but they were at my house every weekend. it's been 8 and a half months since this happend on the road I live on. I am dealing with it through trust and faith in GOD, but am terribly lonely, afraid, having nightmares, you name it, I'm feeling it. I get up and go to work everyday, but feel as though I'm slowly dying inside. I enjoy my grandson, when I see him, which isn't often anymore, and have gone to couseling and grief support groups. Any advise????
- Renee
April 7, 2012 2:57 a.m.
I am sorry that some of you read these very helpful articles and act like they are a joke. I for one am very glad I ran up on this article. My husband passed away eight years ago at age 36, from melanoma IV. He lived four months after he was diagnosed. We have two wonderful sons together. They were 17 and 7 when their dad passed away. My oldest son is now 25, married and has a beautiful one year old son. My youngest is now 16 and a Junior in high school. They are Both wonderful young men and I am very proud to be their Mother. I knew after my husband passed there would be times and events that would because happy, yet sad. When my son and his wife got married, they had a beautiful ceremony and I cried through the whole thing and it was physically painful for me. When my Grandson was born I was right there waiting and when I saw that beautiful little boy I was thrilled, then the sadness came over me just knowing how much my husband would have loved that little boy. Next year my youngest graduates high school and leaves for college he is a wonderful kid. He is polite, well mannered and very intelligent. I know seeing my baby grow up will because hard enough but without his dad it's almost unbearable. I did not mean to go on like this but it's been eight years and I still miss him like it was yesterday. I try to keep it private because I don't like for my boys to see how it still hurts me that their dad is gone. I don't know how to get past this much pain.
- Lynda
March 21, 2012 3:09 p.m.
We all grieve at our ownpace and time. It is a necessary part of the healing process. Be good to yourself nurture yourself
- joanne
March 15, 2012 11:28 a.m.
I have recently lost two people in my life. I have been living withe my boyfriend taking care of his mother who just passed away. She was so sweet and I loved her with all my heart. I love my boyfriend and we planned to be married this spring. A month after her death my boyfriend ended our relationship and we are now living apart with no communication. I am grieving for two. I am so broken. The loss of two is unbearable. I know he is grieving his mother but pushing me away is so difficult to understand. I am trying to search for answers and go through the process but the pain is not going away. I have no anger but feel broken.
- Joanne
March 14, 2012 3:29 p.m.
Art: It seems you might need to talk...
- Mike
March 14, 2012 1:58 p.m.
Most of us now know that grief has about seven stages. The major cavaet is: Make no major decisions until all stages are completed. Think: "This, too, shall pass." Until it's over, a good cry won't do any harm. In fact, "It's good for you."
- Roberta
March 14, 2012 9:51 a.m.
Like so many things of value, this bears repeating. I need to remember this every time a 'down' day occurs. As time passes, they are less frequent and more tolerable, but no less painful.
- Mary
March 14, 2012 12:33 a.m.
This piece says absolutely nothing that anyone with at least a birdbrain already knows. It's a waste of space and time.
- Art
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14 comments posted