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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Abigail Van Buren

Dear Abby: Helping a dying colleague makes work difficult

DEAR ABBY: A co-worker has been stricken with multiple stage-4 cancers. We all have been compassionate and caring, supporting him through the challenges of treatment and the side effects. His condition is terminal, in the final stage and deteriorating rapidly. He does have a supportive family, but we don’t have the heart to send him home and take away the only thing that gives him his reason to live: his work. So we spend our time providing hospice care, something none of us have any training for.

Our work environment has become increasingly stressful and anxious, and it’s overflowing onto our friends and families, not to mention the toll it has taken on our company. I need to make a choice — to place my family and my well-being first, take a leave of absence and abandon my co-workers, or stay in support and have a front-row seat to the imminent passing. — 911 ON SPEED DIAL

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