Wednesday, 29 February 2012

No easy fix

Unless you have lost a child, you may never understand what Jeff and I are going through.  And that’s okay.  I would never want other people in my life to experience this. 

I know our friends and family want to fix this for us.  They want to make us better.  If only it were that easy.  The reality is our daughter died and you can’t bring her back.  Our grief is not like a sickness though.  We can’t be “healed” and we don’t “get better” with each day that passes.  We will always miss our daughter and can’t replace her.  We can only learn to live without her and try to cope.  We can try to get better at coping.

Please know that we don’t want to feel this pain.  We are not hanging on to our grief.  Most times, it is out of our control.  There is a lyric in a song that says “Change this feeling under my feet.”  I wish I could do that – that it were that easy.

Sometimes I feel like others are getting impatient or frustrated with my grief or with the “new me.”  I don’t know how to deal with that reaction.  It only adds to the complexity and burden of emotions I carry.    I suppose I have been selfish in this process and am taking care of me first.   I don’t know how long I need to do this, but I do know I need to do it.  I hope that others can understand and be patient and not give up.

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Friday, 24 February 2012

Take this broken heart

Sometimes I wish I could give this broken heart away.  Even if it was just for a day here and there, and then take it back.  It is not like I will ever forget Angel, and that is not what I mean - I just long for some relief from the heaviness. 

Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Always on my mind

I got an email from someone last week who I don't see very often and I correspond with once every couple of months.  What meant so much to me is in the email they mentioned Angel, said that they had her pin that we handed out at her memorial and that they felt she was protecting them on their travels.  I can't reiterate enough, how much this sort of thing means to me.  If Angel is popping into their heads 6 months later and prompted them to tell me so - well I think it means that they "get it."

If they are thinking about Angel at random times 6 months later, how much more do you think she is still on my mind? 

Be mindful as the days and months march on for a grieving friend – their loss is in no way over for them. Angel is always on our minds.  Mentioning her to me shows you care and makes me feel less isolated with it all.  Not mentioning her makes me think you have forgotten her existence and that you don’t care.

 

Sunday, 19 February 2012

Wishes of a babyloss mom

      This was posted on SOBBS the other day and I wanted to share it here.  I can relate to so many of these wishes.
            1. I wish you would not be afraid to mention my baby. The truth is just because you never saw my baby doesn't mean he doesn't deserve your recognition.

2. I wish that if we did talk about my baby and I cried you didn't think it was because you have hurt me by mentioning my baby. The truth is I need to cry and talk about my baby with you. Crying and emotional outbursts help me heal.

3. I wish that you could talk about my baby more than once. The truth is if you do, it reassures me that you haven't forgotten and that you do care and understand.

4. I wish you wouldn't think that I don't want to talk about my baby. The truth is I love my baby and need to talk about him or her.

5. I wish you could tell me you are sorry my baby has died and that you are thinking of me. The truth is that it tells me you care.

6. I wish you wouldn't think what has happened is one big bad memory for me. The truth is the memory of my baby, the love I feel for my baby, the dreams I had and the memories I have created for my baby are all loving memories. Yes there are bad memories too but please understand that it's not all like that.

7. I wish you wouldn't pretend that my baby never existed. The truth is we both know I had a baby growing inside me.

8. I wish you wouldn't judge me because I am not acting the way you think I should be. The truth is grief is a very personal thing and we are all different people who deal with things differently.

9. I wish you wouldn't think if I have a good day I'm "over it" or if I have a bad day I am being unreasonable because you think I should be over it. The truth is there is no "normal" way for me to act.

10. I wish you wouldn't stay away from me. The truth is losing my baby doesn't mean I'm contagious. By staying away you make me feel isolated, confused and like it is my fault.

11. I wish you wouldn't expect my grief to be "over and done with" in a few weeks, months, or years for that matter. The truth is it may get easier with time but I will never be "over" this.

12. I wish you wouldn't think that my baby wasn't really a baby and it was blood and tissue or a fetus. The truth is my baby was a human life. My baby had a soul, heart, body, legs, arms and a face. I have seen my baby's body and face. My baby was a real person.

13. My babies due date, Mothers Day, celebration times, the day my baby died and the day I lost my baby are all important and sad days for me. The truth is I wish you could tell me by words or by letter you are thinking of me on these days.

14. I wish you understood that losing my baby has changed me. The truth is I am not the same person I was before and will never be that person again. If you keep waiting for me to get back to "normal" you will stay frustrated. I am a new person with new thoughts, dreams, beliefs, and values. Please try to get to know the real me-maybe you'll still like me.

15. I wish you wouldn't tell me I could have another baby. The truth is I want the baby I lost and no other baby can replace this baby. Babies aren't interchangeable. Besides, you do not know whether we have fertility problems too.

16. I wish you wouldn't feel awkward or uncomfortable talking about my baby or being near me. When you do, I can see it. The truth is it's not fair to make me feel uncomfortable just because you are.

17. I wish you wouldn't think that you'll keep away because all my friends and family will be there for me. The truth is, everyone thinks the same thing and I am often left with no one.

18. I wish you would understand that being around pregnant women is sometimes uncomfortable for me. Some days I'll be jealous and others it will give me hope.

19. I wish you wouldn't say that it's natures way of telling me something was wrong with my baby. The truth is my baby was perfect to me no matter what you think nature is saying.

20. I wish you would understand what you are really saying when you say "next time things will be okay". The truth is how do you know? What will you say if it happens to me again?

Friday, 17 February 2012

Angel is watching out for us

There are incidents that have happened since the loss where I feel like Angel might be protecting us.

A couple of weeks after we lost Angel, Jeff got into a major car accident.  A driver cut out in front of him when he had the right of way, and it was a significant crash. The other driver went to the hospital, along with the pedestrian she hit.  Jeff’s front of the car was completely totalled and he could not even open the doors to get out.  However, he walked away without a scratch.  The pedestrian had a broken arm and leg, and the other driver was eventually charged with careless driving.  Jeff had our Angel on his shoulder and I choose to think she protected him from further harm.  When I heard Jeff got in that accident my first reaction was disbelief and anger – was God really trying to take him away too?  But then I thought about it, and I realized that he made it out safely and there was a reason for that.  Something was behind it.

I had another close encounter but not quite a serious, last week. I was walking down the street to get some lunch with my colleague and was about to step off the curb to cross, when a person on a bike zoomed right by me, going the wrong way on a one way street – he passed by me at a good speed, maybe 30-40 km/hour and brushed so close to me, literally within an inch of my face.  My colleague and I jumped back in shock and she said something about my life flashing before my eyes.  It definitely was surprising but as I continued walking I laughed and thanked Angel for watching out for me. 

I choose to think Angel is in a place where she can see our futures play out and she is guiding and protecting us always. And I trust in that.

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Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Valentine's day

One year ago today, I had a 6 week ultrasound that confirmed my daughter was growing and her heart was beating.  One year ago today, I remember saying it was "true love."



"Love is a gift. It makes you feel richer, deeper and brighter.  When a loved one is gone, taken, it feels like the gift is gone. Remember that you are a different person because of their love.  You would be another you if their soul hadn't graced your life.  Although you long for their physical form, remember that the gift - their love - remains with you now and forever."