It can be daunting for a family to discuss bad news. Sometimes, if the bad news is broken only to the patient, or only to a family member, that individual can find themself with the burden of knowing a truth they dare not speak. This can lead to a whole conspiracy of silence that isolates people from each other at the very time they need to draw upon each other’s strength and support. It is possible to be lonely despite being surrounded by a loving family, as each person guards their secret knowledge for the love and protection of another.
