The process of grieving a significant death takes a person through many stages and changes. While each person grieves uniquely, some experiences are common. A substantial loss, such as the death of our child, sibling, or grandchild, impacts our whole…
I lost my child at the young age of 34. The loss of a child is like no other. Unfortunately, it is a loss that is often misunderstood by many. Here is what I’ve learned within two years of grief,…
he emergency section of St. Joseph’s Hospital. Beige walls lined with unimposing chairs closed in on me. Doctors came and left. Family members surrounded me. Police officers and a priest came to speak with me. Each one repeated the same…
Recently, I was shopping for a sympathy card and many of the cards had a message that essentially said, “May your memories bring you comfort.” I received cards like these when my son, Danny died. Perhaps you received similar cards…
I get so tired of crying when I talk about my son. I want to get to that point where I am more at peace…that I can describe him and just smile. I do have those moments at home from…
Dear Amy: With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day approaching, I want to share my perspective. My husband and I lost our only child. I know people are hesitant to wish me a happy Mother’s Day because they don’t know if it…
In the English language, we have words to describe a person who has experienced loss at the death of another. Someone whose spouse has died is called a widow or widower. A child who has been left parentless is an…
(Names of people quoted in this article have been changed to protect confidentiality.) “What is it like, this grief, after you’ve healed?” The question came from Marcia, whose son, Mark, died 7 months ago, suddenly and with no prior symptoms,…
During my daughter’s birth something went wrong. I had been in labor for a reasonable amount of time, and everything was progressing properly when suddenly, the doctor announced that the baby was not happy where she was and needed to…
They call themselves the Tuesday Tinkerbells, my mom’s Tuesday-afternoon card group. The women are all at least semi-retired and consider their weekly game therapy. They are wise and not wrong. In the summer of 2019, my mom asked if my…
