Consolation or confrontation when interacting through an ICU diary - A phenomenological-hermeneutical study

Authorship of the diary provided relatives with the power to influence the narrative in the diary. Co-authoring the diary allowed the relatives to incorporate the illness experience into a personal narrative, thereby influencing the formation of a family narrative. However, difficult relationships kept relatives from sharing emotions and understandings and could cause suffering among relatives and co-creation of the diary to fail.