She tells how to get through such emotional trauma and take care of yourself, as well as a deceased loved one. Losing a life partner is devastating no matter how old you are, but it may be hardest on people in middle age. Truth-be-told, losing someone you love is hard…really hard. Though most of the research on the loss of a spouse focuses on the elderly, psychologists have examined the impact of this event at different points in life. I Lost My Husband To The Same Cancer John McCain Has — Here's What We Really Needed . Losing your husband is a traumatic life event. But following the loss of a spouse or partner, a griever will feel like they’ve lost many important people: their friend, their lover, their peer, their co-parent, … Justin holds his newborn son in January 2011. Tougher than saying goodbye to a spouse is getting your life back together. This means more people will lose lose a spouse than will get married. Sam has written a heartbreaking letter after losing his wife to cancer (Picture: Just Giving) A heartbroken husband has written an emotional open letter after his young wife died of cancer. Friends and support groups are a help, but talking with doctors and other professionals could be a better approach. Coping with Loneliness After the Loss of a Spouse According to the Holmes & Rahe Stress Scale (2016), the loss (death) of a spouse is the most stressful and painful event that a person experiences. My spouse/partner filled more than just one role in my life. Donna Freydkin. After Losing A Spouse, Finding A Different Kind Of Happiness Larry Treadwell's wife died suddenly five years ago. Photo courtesy of Donna Freydkin. Losing a spouse can be devastating, whether the death is sudden or following a long illness. Losing even “just” one person in our life is hard enough. One day you are married; the next day you are single, alone, and grieving. Kalanithi’s story of losing her husband is heart-rending yet inspirational. It’s impossible to imagine the pain of losing a spouse, especially at such a young age. He tells recently widowed K.T. Whether expected or not, the death of your husband can take many years to deal with. The death of your life partner will be accompanied by intense sadness, anger and confusion, even if the death was anticipated.