How do you deal with the loss of a child?

14 Votes

Login to vote

By Kathy Ulam

- Posted on Oct 7, 2011

It was 24 years ago, August 2d, when my 12 week old daughter passed away... 12 weeks to the minute. I'll never forget having to give the okay to stop the medication keeping her alive and asking them if I could hold her. She cuddled up and went to sleep in my arms like she loved to do... It seemed like just a few minutes... Everyone said it was actually 4 hours... Some days I can still feel her little snuggles... She was born a blue baby, the left half of her heart had never developed... The Dr's couldn't explain why she lived 12 hours let alone weeks... My son was 5 yr old at the time, he's 29 now and still won't talk about it... My 22 yr old daughter won't talk about it either, except once in a while she talks about her big sister... Wow, 24 years later it still feels like yesterday! Most times now it's okay to talk about her. But a lot of days it's just still too painful... For the 1st year I remember nothing at all... Just the phone call, at work, to get to the hospital immediately, a friend showing up at that exact moment to give me a ride and the Dr's apologizing they couldn't do anything, holding her... It's still all a blur... It took 2 years for the anger to hit.... I was angry with God for taking her... He and I argued a lot I wanted Him to tell me why... It took 5 years to admit out loud she was gone and I had a total heartbreaking melt-down. My best friend had finally forced me to acknowledge she existed as my brain was still in denial... I still feel the love, smell, and feeling of holding her in my arms, such a precious, beautiful little baby! I miss her greatly!!! To tell you that time will heal the wound I can't say... This is different for every mother who loses a child... The denial, the anger, the sadness, It does soften over the years, but the empty space stays there. Yes you will go on with life, and the time passes... One day, several years later, I was at an airport and had decided to sit at a bar, not for a drink but just to pass time. There was a lady next to me in great distress... She had just lost her 15 yr old son... To be able to talk to her, with tears and a choking throat, and honest feelings gave me a sense of why... This lady needed someone who had experienced a child's death to talk to because no one understood her pain... We can never make sense of it, it just happens... It eventually gives us strength to share with other grieving mothers... I choose to believe that the good Lord knew she would be in for a rough life and decided to spare her... Faith in Him and not my own understanding is what has given me the hope that I will see her again!! If you would like to talk, I'm here... For all of you!!!

P.S. Just heard this song for the first time, it's a wonderful song that speaks to the heart of all of us who've experienced loss.... ♥

http://www.givingpraise.com/music/hurt/

10 Votes

Login to vote

By Debbie Shaddick

- Posted on Oct 12, 2011

Hi my name is Deb and I lost my 5 1/2 year old son to a very nasty kind of cancer called neuroblastoma [cancer of the nervous system]. He was diagnosed when he was 4 yrs old and survived 11 months. He went totally blind within 24 hours so there were some huge adjustments we had to make, not only excepting the diagnosis but also changing our lives to adapt to blindness. My little boy died in my arms, he slipped into a coma then I watched him take his last breath as he past into eternity. I remember literally feeling his spirit leave his body, it was like he was looking down on me clinging to his lifeless body. I understood the real meaning that day of a crushed and broken heart, it was a very physical feeling, One of the hardest things to come to terms with at that time was the fact that I could do absolutely nothing to change that moment, I had to keep breathing, I just wanted to scream and scream and scream, I felt so absolutely hopeless. I didn't want to live myself. For the next two years I grieved so bad, I felt I had no reason to go on but I knew I had to. I got involved in bad habits which only led to more heartache and frustration in my life. One day someone told me about God and how heaven was a real place and that if I gave my heart to God I would understand where my son was........so I had pretty much tried everything else to find some peace and nothing did so I thought what have I got to lose so I opened up my heart to Jesus and when I did I had the most amazing experience....in an instance I knew in my heart exactly where my son was and that he was healed and whole and happy. I knew I had found him and that now I was ready to go to him when my time on earth is over. My grief left me and I felt the most amazing peace in my heart. I now have 2 beautiful daughters who never got to meet their brother but are looking forward to hanging out with him in heaven one day when they get there. After all one sure thing about life is death but when you truly know Jesus there is no sting in death. Believe me there was a day when I tried to take my own life through the heartache I felt but now I have life abundantly. I truly hope you hear my heart with my story...

8 Votes

Login to vote

By Ann Edmondson

- Posted on Oct 2, 2011

I lost two children in miscarriage and 1 son in 2006 who was serving in the Army. No parent want to be a member of this group. But for me it was my faith, family and friends who help me even today through the hard times. You never forget. It doesn't go away. There are some days that are very hard and other days when it is easier. I also joined 2 online support groups that help a great deal as well. They are www.mylovingtribute.com and http://www.onlinegriefsupport.com . both of these web sites not only help with grief from losing a child but for grieving over the loss of any family member under any circumstances (suicide, cancer, stillborn, and countless others). So please if you have no other support in your life, check out one of these websites for help.

8 Votes

Login to vote

By Linda Hamilton- Moore

- Posted on Oct 1, 2011

My firstborn daughter was due Nov.9, 1999. On that day I went in for the last doctors appointment before they were to decide when or if I was going to be induced. I was exactly 40 weeks. The doctor was unable to find a heartbeat. I was sent to the main hospital for a sonogram which confirmed that my daughter had no heart beat. She had passed. I was admitted to the hospital in order to deliver my stillborn child. Twelve hours later I delivered. I remember asking the doctor why isn't she crying. I still expected her to be alive. Her face was blue from the umbilical cord around her neck. They let me hold her afterwards. She seemed like she was only sleeping. I was in denial. I still can't believe that happened. The hardest part was going home to a nursery and having no baby. We held a small service. I have no advice for anyone. For me, the loss was just to great. Time helps but never really heals.

7 Votes

Login to vote

By Lynda Sadoff

- Posted on Sep 30, 2011

It was the hardest thing I have ever dealt with. He was the younger of my two children. He was 17 years old. It was sudden.., he drown in Lake Michigan...on the north shore of Illinois...in Evanston.. near Northwestern Univ. He was gifted.., in so many ways. It was the third day of a new school year. August.28., 1997.., he and three friends decided that since the school hasn't really stated taking attendance yet..., they would skip out that day...and go to the beach.. .., summer's last 'hurrah".., Lake Michigan is not known for undertows.., but that is what happened. None of the boys knew to swim or float with the current.. they all fought against it. Two boys survived..., two drown. I am not sure how the other boys mother handled or dealt with the loss. I know it took me years. I had a lot of support..from family.., (husband and daughter and I developed a stronger bond). But extended family and friends. .., were a strong community for us..even if they couldn't understand the devastation I felt. They let me tell the same stories of his young life over and over.., oh and my son's friends..even the two survivors of that day...with their survivors guilt...came and cried with us.., held hands with us..Laughed at some of the memories we shared. Then I found out about this support group called compassionate friends. The only requirement for membeship..is the one thing no parent should ever have to be a member of...the death of a child. I found my denial, my anger, my depression were not uncommon. I kinda resented it when someone says you "lost" a child. It's not like they can be "found" again. The biggest issue I had though, (not the groups fault), was as I was releasing my pain..and anger.., I was taking on the pain and anger from other parents releasing theirs. It is not a group anyone wants to be a member of.., but a much needed group. I also journaled a lot, drew his portrait.., on his birthday we went to the cemetary and released ballons in the sky..with goodwill messages for anyone that would come in contact with the ballons. On the anniversary of his death..we went to the beach and left letters to him and his friend in the sand. When I finally got to the stage of acceptance..., I found myself...less depressed and ready to go on with my life. One never gets "over" the death of their child..., but it does get easier each year that passes. Louis Eric will forever be in my heart...and I will neve forget our time together on earth.

7 Votes

Login to vote

By Robin Poe

- Posted on Sep 29, 2011

Compassionate Friends, work, counselling, faith and anti-depressants. It's been almost 5 years since I lost my only child when he was 21. I know I will survive it, but it still rears up and hurts. Ups and downs, I know where he is and he's happy and loved. I am trying to live as he would want me to. Not easy, but trying still. Hang on to God. Know you are not alone.

7 Votes

Login to vote

By Kerrin Brittain

- Posted on Sep 29, 2011

My husband & I lost our daughter just over 2 & a half years ago to stillbirth, finding out Christmas Eve she wouldn't live.

For us, family & friends have been the big key to helping us get through from day to day. We learnt the hard way that there are some though who at either certain times or overall, we've had to either cut ties with or distance ourselves from sometimes. Especially as time has gone on when we get things like 'aren't you over that yet?' thrown at us. Christmas/New Year since has always been a hard time for us, especially seeing at the moment 95% of our friends all have young children or are pregnant.

As fantastic as many of them were, we still found it good to get outside help together. Our state SIDS & Kids hooked us up with a counsellor who even came to the house which we both found really good. Sometimes, it helpes to talk to someone who is removed from the situation we found.

Dues to the circumstances surrounding Ashley's birth/passing, we never got to see her, hold her or have photos but we found ways that we could remember her. We ordered special photos from a place online, we had a couple of little items that we put in a special memory box - a little jacket & rattle we had bought just for her. Both my husband & I also wrote to her - my husband a letter & a poem from me that we placed in it too. We didn't want a big service etc.... the most important thing to us was to do what we felt was right, regardless of any outside pressure.

The most important thing we've learnt is to just take each day as it comes. Some days are good and some, not so hot. We just allow ourselves the chance to take time out if we need to, when we need to. You never get over the loss of a child, you just learn to get through each day a little bit at a time.

6 Votes

Login to vote

By Bonny Coxwell

- Posted on Nov 1, 2011

Reading all of these posts has really helped me. I believe when you lose a child, you feel like you are the only one who has gone through it. Hearing from others and reading others stories is very therapeutic for me. We lost our 11-year-old son in a tractor-mower accident in July of 2009. The pain never goes away. It's not something that you "get over," -- it's just something that you learn to live with. It seems that all of your relationships change, mostly because others don't know what to say or how to react, and the some relationships become strained. Luckily, we have a very close extended family and church family, which has truly held us together. God has been good to us.

My advice to others is to take the time to truly grieve -- the time frame is different for everyone. Don't rush your grief, but don't wallow in it, either. Let others be there for you. Get out of the house a little at a time and eventually you will find a new "normal." His birthday, the anniversary of the death, and holidays are the hardest for us. We plan for those times to be "low stress" -- we don't plan a lot of activities and make sure we take care of each other.

Honor your child, even if it's not in a public way. Buy Christmas gifts that you think they would like and give them to Toys for Tots or a homeless shelter. Plant a tree. We write notes on balloons each year on our son's birthday and "send them to heaven." (His little sisters find this very helpful.)

May God bless all of you who are hurting. I do not know you personally, but am praying for each of you to have the strength to smile again!

6 Votes

Login to vote

By Karen Rodabaugh

- Posted on Oct 4, 2011

I lost my 2nd child, my first son, 19 years ago this last 4th of July. We went to the hospital expecting to have a normal birth. Little did we know that he had several anomalies that were not compatible with life and he died just 18 hours after he was born, while I held him in my arms. We had called our pastor and had him baptised in the nursery, and then we were allowed to bathe him and dress him before they removed him from the ventilator.

It is very true that everyone grieves differently. The nursing staff had placed a "do not disturb" sign on my door without my knowledge. We have a very large family and a large circle of friends from church and I needed their support. I was angry that the staff did that w/o asking our wishes first. We also had a very strong sense of humour and that was and still is our way of dealing with life's dificulties. We rationalized everything: so he had a cleft palate . .not the first kid born that way, so his eyes hadn't formed. . . he wouldn't be the first blind kid ever born, so his testicles hadn't descended . . that could be dealt with, so his brain didn't develop except for the left frontal lobe and the brain stem.....now THAT could be a problem. The staff and even the neonatologist attributed our (to them) glib and blase reaction to shock. I thought it rather crass when the neontologist called me at home 3 weeks after the funeral to let me know the chromosome studies were normal and suggest that we exhume the body for an autopsy. Excuuuuse me?!?!?!?

I had occasion to speak with the neonatologist a year later and reminded him that he had taken care of my son in the special care nursery. Of course, he didn't remember the specifics of the case and asked how my son was doing. I replied that he was still dead, and then I reminded the doctor what he had written in my chart and advised him to word his charting more carefully as everyone DOES grieve differently, and what may have seemed rude and disrespectful to him was OUR way of dealing with it.

After the first few weeks, it's as if everyone is afraid to speak of your child. I yearned for someone to talk to me about him, it felt as if they were trying to forget it had ever happened. Even now, 19 years later, I still look at the pictures we took, the lock of his hair that the nursery staff gave us. The 4th of July is such a day of celebration for so many, it was 10 years before I took the holiday off of work and spent it at home with my family. As a nurse and now a volunteer firefighter, I set up a memorial scholarship in my sons name to offer financial assistance to any of our volunteers who wish to pursue training as an EMT, paramedic or firefighter.

You will never forget. Cherish the memories. And for those who say "aren't you over it yet" - keep in mind that until they themselves face this heartbreak, they wil never understand that you never get over it.

5 Votes

Login to vote

By Brandy Roosevelt

- Posted on Jan 21, 2012

I found out at 18 weeks that our son had Potter's Syndrome and would not live. His kidneys didn't develop, which caused other parts to not develop, including his lungs. After getting through the rage of having an insensitive Dr who did the 2nd level ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis, we were adamant that we wouldn't abort him, even though there was pressure to do so. Our marriage fell apart those few months and on Feb 22, 2005, I went to the hospital with spotting and my OB, who is/was amazing, told us we could deliver that next morning and that he might have a chance of making it through the delivery, since he would be smaller. After alot of prayer, we agreed and I was induced. He was born at 6:01 pm. Our pastor was there to baptize him before he was cut from the cord and the hospital allowed our family and friends to be in the adjoining birthing suite so they could see him and be close. They gave him a bath and brought him back to me when his heartrate started dropping. I held my little boy as he struggled for his last breath at 7:01pm. He lived an hour and he was worth it all. I still cry when I think of him and we did have a funeral and buried him at a local cemetery that had a place special for children, set away from the road and sheltered. I have a beautiful picture of his father holding his hand that hangs on my wall and I tell his brothers that they will meet him one day in heaven.
Time doesn't heal, but it does help. Because of him, I have thrown myself harder into supporting the Pro-Life movement, because I know he was alive and beautifully and fearfully made. He is my angel and I can't wait to see him again. My faith and family and friends are what has gotten me through these almost 7 years. I just recommend going to God, because he can and does heal.

5 Votes

Login to vote

By Laurie Greenberg

- Posted on Nov 29, 2011

Lynda, I understand the anger at the euphemisms. Our daughter died at age 25. We had her 24 years longer than the docs expected, but it was still a shock. The finality of death pulled the rug right out from beneath us. We did not "lose" her, like at the shopping mall; she did not "pass", like a spelling test. She died. I know people are trying to soften the blow by using those words, but, believe you me, there IS no softening of THAT blow. You go about in a fog at first, get angry that the world continues as usual despite the end of YOUR world as you knew it (no flags half-mast; no black ribbons- what were they THINKING?), and pretend that your child is off picking heather in Scotland on days when you are unable to face the truth. It is a long, sad process to mourn. I call the death of loved ones the stinkiest part of life, but what are you going to do? Never love anybody?

5 Votes

Login to vote

By Jacky Stapelberg

- Posted on Oct 6, 2011

I lost my 14 year ols son to leukemia 8 months ago. He was diagnosed just before his 13th birthday. Within 6 months he was in full remission and we were over the moon! He had gone back to school and was playing golf and participating in all his usual activities. It was during a routine checkup that the doctors noticed his bloodcounts did not look rifght and three weeks later he suddenly passed. People seems less sympathetic when they hear the cancer term, but I can assure you that it came as a huge shock to us. One minute he fighting with the nurses who made a noise when he was trying to sleep and the next minute he went into a coma. My entire universe fell apart. I wanted to die!! But I do remember what a giving spirit he was. He made me drive around with a bag of apples in my car to distribute to the street beggers. We do not have a compassionate friends in South Africa and you are pretty much left to mourn in the privacy of your house. I started the Dominique Foundation and I organise high teas and all kinds of socials to raise money to assist the children in the oncology ward. There are so many families that can barely afford the medication and still try and dress their kids. So, I buy comfy pajamas and art and craf packs to help the kids. I have good days and bad days and the only thing I have learned is that you can only take on day at a time. It helps to talk, I share my story to anyone that will listen. It never gets better , you only learn to live with your broken heart! Jacky

5 Votes

Login to vote

By Tonja Shelton

- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

On December 18, 2000, God blessed us with a precious little boy from Korea. I thought our life was complete. Our daughter, from China, was 4, and now we had a little boy. For 3 years we had a great life. But on December 10, I was in the hospital in Tampa and my dad had come down from Arkansas to watch the kids. It had rained all day. Dad left our house around 6 pm and drove 2 miles down the road to drop our then 7 year old daughter off at our church for the Christmas program practice. While sitting outside at a flashing red light (opposing traffic had a yellow flashing light), he thought an oncoming car had their right turn signal on. He pulled out and our van was hit on the passenger door where our son was sitting, asleep in his car seat. The paramedics revived Kyle and ironically he was brought to the same hospital I was at because it is the best trauma hospital. He was rushed to surgery to try to stop the internal bleeding and they removed his spleen. My husband and I had rushed down to the ER and were there before Kyle arrived but we were not allowed to see him. Finally they put him in PICU and we were allowed to go sit beside him. He had a huge gash in his head and his neck was broken. Twelve hours later we were told that there was no brain activity and what did we want to do. As a kidney recipient, we believe in transplants. But this was our baby, how come we were having to make this decision. To make a long story short, they were able to give both kidneys to a lady who lived in the area and his liver went to a 7 year old girl who lived in Michigan. We met the lady and her husband and we became friends. We never heard from the other family but that was okay too. I tell you all of this to say that I have had to learn (still learning) to forgive myself for that accident. You see, Kyle was running a fever that day but I thought he would be okay with my dad and I really wanted Robby with me while I had the biopsy. I will always wish I made a different decision. We were never mad at my dad because we knew how much he loves our kids and would never have done anything to hurt them. Weather was the cause and visibility. God is so good though. Talking about your child is great for healing. Having friends who will listen is wonderful. But knowing God never left me and was there waiting when I got through being mad is how I got through this. I still miss Kyle so much and often wonder what he would be like now at age 11. He now has a little sister, from China, who I know he is watching over. I am blessed in the fact that Kyle never suffered as he never regained consciousness. As I have read the other stories, my heart aches for each of your losses. I am glad that some of you were able to hold your little ones one last time. Because Kyle's neck was broken, I was not allowed this one this last thing. They did make me plaster hand and foot prints and gave me a lock of his hair. Time and God's love does heal, but it takes a while and that loss never goes completely away. It just hurts a little less.....

5 Votes

Login to vote

By Tracey Habgood

- Posted on Sep 30, 2011

I had my first stillbirth in 1988, then my second 10years later. I think the hardest part is when you have no answers which was the case with my first. There is no fix it remedy, you just have to allow yourself to feel what you feel when you are feeling it. I have had support with both losses but in the main I had to deal with them alone.....the hard part for me was the first time round I had just gone through a marriage break up and the second time I was a long way from the friends that helped me with my first. Friends are a wonderful help but sometimes they need to step back and wait for you to ask for help. Take life after lose each day as it comes....You do what you can each day and be thankful you got to the end of it.....you never ever forget and neither we should. We may not always understand why things in our lives happen but we should learn from each exprience that we are lucky enough to have ...be they good or bad. Like others my faith and belief in what happens after we die helped me too. I know that had I not been through this type of lose...there are friends and others who have come into my life that I wouldn't have been able to help...
Although many of my friends could not understand how I could do it again I am very lucky to have an 11yr old son and a 9yr daughter now, that had I given up, I wouldn't have...
There is light at the end of what seems like a very large, very deep hole....
Just remember: take time to do what you need to do to help yourself.
Don't be upset with family and friends that may say the wrong thing.....unless they have had a similar lose, they don't know what to say , when all the want to do is help make things better for you.
LIFE DOES GET BETTER IF YOU LET IT...THEY ARE WATCHING OVER US...XOXOXOX
To all mothers and fathers who have lost a child....

4 Votes

Login to vote

By Lorrie Conger

- Posted on Jan 2, 2012

We lost both of our children at the same time and at very young ages. Time can be ur best friend or ur wordt enemy. We actually began going to ceramic classes. It took both of our minds off off everything for a little bit. Time dows not heal but it does help. Everyone deals in their own way. Just know that no way is wrong. Start with finding the smallest of things that can help u learn to live again. Our loss was 15 years ago. God has helped us thru so much! We now have 3 wonderful adopted children.

4 Votes

Login to vote

By Latoya Fields - Collins

- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

2007 I HAD MY FIRST BABY GIRL WHICH WAS A BLESSING SHORTLY AFTER I LOST MY SON DRS SAID HE WOULDNT MAKE IT CUZ HE WASNT DEVELOPING PROPERLY SOON AFTER LOOSEING HIM I GAVE BIRTH TO MY 3 YEAR OLD SON A COUPL;E WKS LATER I WAS PREGNANT WITH TWINS A BOY AND A GIRL BOTH BABIES WHERE FINE UP UNTIL DAT 8TH MONTH WHEN MY TWIN SON STOPPED BREATHING., ALTHOUGH I HAVE 3 HEALTHYKIDS WHICH NOW RE 4 3 AND 2 I FEEL THE EMPTINESS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE MY OTHER TWO. I WAS TOLD GOD KNOWS BEST AND HE NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE. LIVE AND BE STRONG FOR DA KIDS FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS IN YOUR LIFE NOW

4 Votes

Login to vote

By Lika Saliscente

- Posted on Sep 30, 2011

I lost my first child. Chuck was a very wanted child, and I'd had a tough pregnancy. Under any other circumstance, I'd have brought home a live baby at 33.5 weeks.

Acknowledge the fact that you're still a mother, and always will be for the rest of your life, regardless of if you don't have other children. Validate yourself that you did what you had to do, and you aren't a bad mother because you lost your child.

Support groups are helpful, but, if you are overwhelmed by people coming in and out, please don't feel bad for asking people for privacy. My mom is an RN, my stepfather is a pastor and at one time was the on-call chaplain for the hospital... I think I had every part of the staff come in to see me, and I hardly had time for myself from 8AM until midnight, and I stayed 2 nights. I actually welcomed the funeral home staff, it cleared the room except what business we had to do.

3 Votes

Login to vote

By CHERYL HARDIN

- Posted on Apr 17, 2012

My first one I was 24 weeks along, I just cried for months. then in 88 I was 27 weeks along when my son was born, I got his tiny feet print tattoo at my heart, then I have in memory on my right shoulder, and my left one has his name. It seem to work.
In 90. I was 4 months and had a tumor that killed my baby. I cried for months again.

3 Votes

Login to vote

By Lisa Anderson

- Posted on Feb 1, 2012

I've lost 2 and there is no right or wrong way. The most important thing to do is allow yourself to grieve ...it will come back to haunt you later in some other way. Try not to be too upset when other's don't acknowledge your loss, they just don't what to say or they're fearful they'll say the wrong thing.
Take your time, cry your tears, and remember that you are not alone.

3 Votes

Login to vote

By Renee Martin

- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

My daughter was older, almost 21. She just moved out and I kept thinking of her that way. Still in the next town but alive but I knew deep down shewas gone. I would just keep talking to people of our happier times together. With time it gradually turned into just knowing she was gone, so pretending helped. The only time it hurts now is when I see her friends have children or go on to do great things and wonder how much that strong spirit could have done with her life. I will also mss her laughter I find too reaching towards other Mom;s who lost there child,helps me get throgh mine. Share the memories.Missy"s MOM

3 Votes

Login to vote

By EMMA ROGERS

- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

loosing a child is one of the worst things a parent can go through i had my 1st baby at 16 my boy joshua but he passed away at 5 months old from sids the worst part is the not knowing why it happend or how also it doesn't help things when you are the one to find them that is something that sticks in your mind always my son died 11yrs ago but ive only recently grieved for him i tried to put it in the back of my mind but as ive learned it only makes things worse,
my advice to parents is don't try and block it out because it only comes to your mind another time i can't watch programmes where children have died it brings it all back.
let yourself grieve dont hold back!x

3 Votes

Login to vote

By Laura Barillaro

- Posted on Oct 4, 2011

I lost my son when I was 26 wks pregnant I was ayoung mom to begin with it was the hardest thing I had ever gone through we had avery small service for him and he was buried in afamily plot. It feels like yesterday that I had him but I know that he watches over my three beautiful little girls and will be waiting to welcome me when god chooses to call me home and then I will be able to hold him in my arms and share all the love I have carried with me since they day I found out i was pregnant with him. There is afoundation I have just recently became aware of its called Hygenia it is asupport system for mothers and families dealing with the loss of achild wether it be finical support or just a ahoulder to cry on.

3 Votes

Login to vote

By Katherine Bridges

- Posted on Sep 30, 2011

I found that talking to others about what happened helped. I miscarried tiwns. I remember it realy helped to have someone just listen. The nurse just let me talk abbout what happened, She sat and listened to me. I will never forget that. It helped me to open up instead of burring it inside. She semed to know that alls I needed was a listening ear.

3 Votes

Login to vote

By Gousia Dhar

- Posted on Sep 30, 2011

My heart goes out to parents who have lost a child- may god give you the strength to accept it and brave it. Remember all of us are with you and feel the immense pain....
Ask god for strength; family and friendz can help and try to keep yourself busy

3 Votes

Login to vote

By kerri ARGENT

- Posted on Sep 29, 2011

I lost my 19 year old son three years ago this week.At first it helped to count the blessings of having him in our lives.Compiling digital versions of family photos and videos allowed everyone to contribute and it gave me glimpses of aspects of his life with his friends and other family members. This was a real gift.Each of us grieved differently. Personally I needed a lot of private time. I played a lot of music which had reminders of him and this allowed me to cry freely and privately.I still drive and listen to those CDs and find an element of release each time.Counselling helped. It reassured me that all expressions of grief are OK. It also let me know what to expect in each stage.Lean heavily on friends and family and it soon becomes apparent you have some wonderful people in your life.It was OK to talk with other parents who had also lost children but I soon learned to avoid those who were still highly emotional as it only upset me further.I have learned to cherish the memories and accept the hurt as without it I would never have known my wonderful son.We also began a facebook group to register people who donate blood on his behalf. So far there are over 1600 donors registered. It was a cause dear to his heart so every time we get a new member it helps usjust a little bit more.Bepositive 4Peter.
Kerri Argent

2 Votes

Login to vote

By Nancy Pikal

- Posted on Sep 30, 2011

In July of 1998 we adopted 2 beautiful little boys, 3/12 and 5. Everything was fine for a few years then the oldest one, Lovell, started showing us alot of anger. We did everything we could but we couldn't help him at home because he started getting violent. He was seeing a psychocogist off and on(mostly on) for about 5 years. The psychologist left his practice and a few months later is when all of the problems started. He had been out of the house in various rehab facilites. The last one he was at he was there for about 6 months before he committed suicide in February of 2009. We found out later that he was angry because he was depressed and he didn't know how to deal with it. He was only 15. It devastated us all. Our younger son went to therapy for a couple of years and we went to a support group for about a year. We drop in every once in awhile. The support group helped us quite a bit. It is not a support group that you choose to be in. It is for those who have lost loved ones to suicide. The name is Survivor Resources. We also got a lot of support from our church family and other family members as well. We leaned on God a lot and still do. You never get over the death of a child, but you learn to live with it. It has totally changed our lives. I highly recommend finding some sort of support group or therapist. It will help. Talk about your child as well. People don't know what to say, but if they ask if they can do anything, tell them yes. My prayers go out to you, I know exactly what you are going through. Our faith helped us quite a bit. Let your feelings show, don't hide them. If you are angry, let it out. Don't keep the feelings inside.

2 Votes

Login to vote

By Deborah White

- Posted on Sep 29, 2011

My firstborn granddaughter passed from an undetected staph infection. She died a couple of weeks before Christmas in 2001.

It is very difficult to absorb the loss of a child. It is one of those moments we tend to by pass thinking about because death is not a subject we discuss when our children are healthy and developing into the next phase of their lives.

My advice to anyone is simple. Take things one day at a time. Making burial arrangements and all that goes into this moment is stressful and painful.

Allow yourself to mourn in your own style. No one can tell you how to feel during this time in your life. Even now, when I think about the fact that my granddaughter would be almost ten years old. I look at my crop of granddaughters and realize that I will never know what she would look like, sound like or what her interests would be.

I am fortunate. I have a good circle of friends, a couple of my sistas have had their own losses when we were childbearing age, so they were truly supportive of me. They allowed me to talk about how I felt, understood and gave me space on the days when I wanted to grieve privately,

I do not believe that you ever forget the children that you birth or who are related to you. The stages of grief will flow through your life and they are not always easy to cope with. I did a lot of praying and quiet mediatation.

I still think about Deja'. I cannot imagine just blocking her existance out of my mind because she is not physically present. I have a strong belief in God and that has helped me to make it through.

1 Vote

Login to vote

By susan hopkinson

- Posted on Apr 24, 2012

i lost my little boy i was 40 weeks and i went to the hospital on the 18th of feb 1997 i told drs that i was in pain they didnt listen too m uch to what i said that night i was still in pain i asked the midwife for pain relife she said stop being a baby so i put up with the pain morning dawend diffrent midwifes took over a young nurse said you look in pain i told her she put me on to a trace machine she found a abnormalty that min it got manic drs sending off for bloods i had my daughter with me she was 14 basicly they made a cock up and my baby died 1 min befor he was born he bled to death inside of me he was born at 1 min to 7 at night he weighed 6lb 15 he looked like he was sleeping ruby red lips my little angel i went off the rails i drank vodka like it was pop i didnt care i wanted to die my daughter at 14said mum please stop drinking i love you made me drop to my knees i stopped drinking and i then wanted to find out why my little boy died i wouldnt let him be cut open he come in to the world with no cuts n stitches he was going out perfect there was an inquest the drs said it was a error of judgement not it was there fault i was in the angry stage i wanted to ripo the drs head off my vicar come to see me she was loverly took me in a room where there was pillows i picked the black pillow and i litaraly ripped it to shreads jumped on it beat it up made me feel a lot better when you loose a baby you loose part of yourself it does get better but you never forget birthdays and xmas is the worst times of yea cos you waNDER WHAT THEY WOULD BE DOING OR WOULD THEY HAVE LIKED A MOBILE PHONE I MISS MY BABY SON MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD AND WE WILL MEAT AGAIN ONE DAY BUT MY DAD IS LOOKING AFTER MY LITTLE ANGEL TILL I CAN TAKE OVER I FEEL A LOT BETTER KNOWING MY DAD HAS MY BABY WITH HIM RIP MY LITTLE MAN LOVE YOU MILLIONS AN MILLIONS CLIFFORD XXXXXXXXXXS SO IF YOUR MUM DAD ARE IN HEVEN BE REST ASURED THEY WILL BE LOOKING AFTER YOUR ANGEL BABY XXX

1

0 Votes

Login to vote

Blogger by Brittany

- Posted on Apr 29, 2013

when my baby girl passed away it was one the hardest things i have ever exsprianced and at such a small age my little girl was only 9 weeks old and it broke my world in a whole second when i saw her the way she did the only thing keeping me strong is my family as me and my partner not long broke after my baby passed xx

0 Votes

Login to vote

By Jennifer Richardson

- Posted on Apr 10, 2013

Allow yourself time to heal because healing is a slow process. In my situation my faith in God helped me to this day to write my testimony about how God has healed me in a super natural way to share with other hurting moms that has experience this same agony and severe pain of loosing a child. I lost my Joshua at 5 years old by the negligence of a driver simply not paying attention to the roadway our cul da sac where he rode his friends bike. I was at work at the time and I was getting ready to go on my first break when my father came to my register and said to me your son just was hit by a van. My heart immediately felt sorrow but believe or not I knew he had became an angel that God chose to come back real early. My children had been so heavy in my spirit before this happened on March 11 2011 and when I heard this news it did not surprise me at all. I clocked out and I said to my co workers my son just got hit and they said to me no way! How are you able to walk out of here without assistance? I could not explain it to them but all I knew is I had to get to my other 2 children whom was with my neighbors because my husband whom they were left with had just lost it. I had to hold it together for them and not let them see me falling apart. My oldest son saw this happen to his brother and I just prayed and ask God please help this child get through this where this will not affect him in his adult life. I must say my son is doing quite well and yes he has his moments where he cries about what happen to Joshua but I tell him it is going to be all right because we will see him again according to my christian faith 1 Thess 4:13 this helps my family deal and cope with the loss of my dear son Joshua Isaiah Richardson. The driver was not charged neither did he get a ticket for coming out fast in cul da sac where children where at play. This was very devastating for me to see in front of my house where Joshua body laid the word blood and where shoe rested after being drugg

0 Votes

Login to vote

By diana daniels

- Posted on Feb 8, 2013

i lost my child charles is his name, he was all i had, we were very close,like best friends. his death came quickly on a sunday night. not even a good bye, the home is so quiet,still and lonely, i walk the falls talking to my self wondering what i could have done to have avoid this happening, i pray to god to have mercy , to help me with this suffering, but my pain is stronger then my belief its so bad i planed my feneral arrangement, looked up a date to end this crushed heart, i cant sleep, because hes in my mind, every minuted of every day. i hurt so bad i cant go on i want help some one to tell me how to cope but then if i live this wicked world im in ill be with my son again, written this the tears fall , please help dont know what to ,tell me how to move on how do i live please help.

0 Votes

Login to vote

By Jill Young

- Posted on Dec 27, 2012

You never do,you just larn how to make other peaople hapy

0 Votes

Login to vote

By Kim siebold

- Posted on Aug 19, 2012

as today is 17 years ago that I lost my twin boys I can say I have a blog I write every year on their birthday which is special to me. But the most special thing is my husband bought me is a ring with their names on it it validates them.

0 Votes

Login to vote

By Miriam

- Posted on Aug 3, 2012

What I can say now is that I choose for life, for my life, I have my baby boy in my heart, but I have to let me live, we have a precious thing...LIFE. and in name of my baby I will live intensely, take the good and bad sides, but focus on the positive, and be grateful for what I do have. I will miss him till my death, thinking of him everyday. But I hope that with time I can smile when I think about him, and not cry.

0 Votes

Login to vote

By Carol Fairclough

- Posted on Jun 8, 2012

My story is much different. I lost my beautiful 39 yr old daughter April 20, 2008 to murder. My 12 y/o grandson....her youngest son called and told me. I thought Mike Tyson in his prime had slapped me as hard as he could along side the head. The bottom kind of dropped out of my little corner of the world.. The lose, the anger, the confusion never really seem to stop. To lose a child of any age is the worse thing that can happen and to lose one in this manner is more than my brain can accept some days. She was shot 3 times in the neck by her husband of 17 yrs, who fled to Texas and then killed himself. They had 2 boys 15 and 12 and I had the 'joy' of telling them the next morning that everything they had ever known was gone... Even now ater 4 yrs I still sometimes burst into tears for no apparent reason...I looked for a support group for this sort of problem, like partents of murdered children. com and could not find anything except usually the loss of an infant. Does anyone know where to go for help? Thanks.

0 Votes

Login to vote

By Shan-Nel Simmons

- Posted on Apr 26, 2012

I loss my first and only child, Ashley, at 21 weeks last year on Good Friday, April 22 from a placental abruption. It hurts all the time because I had so many dreams and hopes for my daughter. I so badly wanted to be a mother and I did not want to become a mom this way. She was my first pregnancy ever (at 28 yrs old) and I am constantly dealing with the thought that she may be the only child we will ever have. She lived for 2 1/2 hours before she passed; but I only got a few moments with her because I had to be rushed to the OR for a D&C. I had to leave my husband only with our dying daughter and (for all his knew at that moment) his dying wife. It has been the hardest experience in my life. I have learned that the pain of this loss will never go away. I've learned that there will just be some bad days and some better days.

http://deathofababycopedealandheal.blogspot.com/