Mr. Tavernier passed away last Sunday.
As some of you might remember, he went in the hospital a few weeks ago with abdominal issues, and skipping all the details, he is no longer with me.
You all sent wonderful thoughts and prayers of support at the time, and so there is no need for a thread of bereavement. However I would very much appreciate any advice from other spouses who have "been there". I have a wonderful family and many friends so I'm better off than lots, but I also feel like I'm suddenly in uncharted territory, and it's a little scary.
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I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. 
With it being so recent and sounding like it was rather sudden so I'm sure you must still be reeling.
DUers overall are compassionate caring people but as someone has mentioned there's also a bereavement support group here where you may find even more of the type of support and advice you said you're looking for. Here's the link to it to make it easier: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1234
May you find solace with your family at this difficult time.
I lost my husband seven years ago. The best advice I can give you is to let yourself feel what you're feeling. I tried to "be strong"...Mike had been sick, we had a great, long marriage, etc., so I didn't let myself truly mourn in the immediate aftermath. And about two weeks in I came as close to a breakdown as I've ever been. So don't deny yourself. If you feel yourself tearing up, let it happen. Your true friends will understand and support you. No one else matters. Also, soon (if you haven't already) you'll hit the "anger" stage...let it work for you. Slam doors, kick boxes, yell. Let it out. It helps. And above all, know this. This is not something you "get over", but you do get through it, and you do get passed it. Let time play out. He'll always be in your heart, and he'll always be with you. Peace.
This helped me through...I hope it helps you.
Gone From My Sight
Henry Van Dyke
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
And that is dying...
And for the first year, the passage of time did not make anything easier. In fact, time was an enemy, carrying me ever further away from him.
But I did rebuild a life, with new and old friends. I reminded myself, often, that he would have wanted the rest of my life to be happy, that having moments of happiness was not a betrayal, or something I should feel guilty about. (Maybe I battled these feelings because of the way he died.)
When I thought that my grief was too much to bear, I told myself that I had just made it through the last second, and that the next second wasn't likely to be any worse.
I spent a year walking a coastal trail every single day, even in blizzards. I needed to look at animals and plants who were barely hanging on in the harshest of conditions. I needed to know that dying of old age was a rare privilege, that nothing about his dying at age 30 was unfair or uniquely tragic.
It sounds as if you have a good support system and friends and loved ones who will carry you through. I wanted to expand my network of friends, so I decided who I would want to hang out with and figured out a way to meet them. For me, this meant becoming an artists' model so I could meet the local artists.
Eventually I caught myself smiling again. One day I realized that I had gone a full day without crying. Bit by bit it does get better. I still think of him often, but I am also happily remarried, with friends and a fulfilling job. I'm happy. I'm sure you'll be happy again, too.
No tickets to Pamplona to see the running of the bulls this year. 
I've done the Outlander series twice, countless others, and am presently almost finished with Anna Karenina. I live with my bluray earbuds dangling around my neck. And if you finish any good ones, I'd appreciate a heads up. xx
Condolences.
17 years after losing my dad, my mom
Still mourns.....
Peace and love to you.
group has helped me through my own losses over the years.
There are some wonderful, wise comments from many people who have posted in this thread.
Take care of yourself. Let yourself grieve. Avoid rushing in to financial or "final" decisions.
There is no time line for "moving on" or getting over the feelings of sadness and loss.
Connect with people--in person or in a bereavement group or on-line--who will let you talk about
your feelings and your life with Mr. Tavernier.
Spend time doing things that have brought you pleasure and enjoyment in the past. He would want you to be happy.
Accept hugs from anyone who offers them. Touch is good. Laugh if you can. Laughter is good for healing. And when
you feel like crying, don't hold back.
Cyberhugs to you, tavernier, as you sail through these uncharted waters.
I lost my spouse & best friend of 30 years on December 17, 2014. I don't have any words of wisdom for you; just remember to take care of yourself and lean on friends and family. I remember feeling like the world was off-kilter, like a chair that suddenly had 3 legs.Just allow yourself to feel whatever you're feeling, there's no right or wrong. If there's anything I can do to help you through this, please don't hesitate to pm me. It's a really shitty club to be a member of.
Take care.
Thanks and have another hug. I've always liked them.
you make your way through this.
May his memory be a blessing.
I am so sorry for your loss. He was such a good poster.
I hope you get some good advice from people here.
I wish for you the peace that passes understanding.
If you can find a support group, that might be helpful.
Wishing you peace and comfort as you grieve.
But you have come to the right place for support that only DUers can provide. Hang in there and keep posting... 
I wouldn't know what to do if I was in the same situation.
I don't have any advice, except that I'm so sorry.
I am a young widow that became the caretaker to my extremely sick husband. In the end he came home to hospice and passed away while I held his hand in our living room. I miss him and love him so much. My life has been forever altered.
The last several months have been heartbreaking and sad, but I have managed to pull myself together. I am currently in the anger phase of my grief. It has been good for me to talk to strangers about him because I can really communicate what I am feeling inside.
I am only a PM away. I mean that sincerely.
It is a fear for many of us.
One of the things I can think to suggest is to create a journal and write about Mr. Tavernier and your relationship. Writing about your grief may help because it is an outlet that you can pour as much of your feelings into as you wish. In the end you will have something special, but can add to it always.
Another thing to think about is taking a trip to break your routine. Take in new culture, new sights, new people.
Best to you.
you have my deepest sympathy. May he rest in peace.
