Is it normal to feel this way?

[mamasmissionimpossible]

I lost my db 13 years ago to SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy). It is his birthday on Sunday and I have suddenly been hit with waves of sadness and crying. I am usually quite strong. I don't know if it is normal to be hit by the loss after this long period of time. I still miss him and I think that had he been alive we would have had a party for him on the weekend. :(

Grief is an odd thing and hit at unexpected times - so yes it is normal.

Try to remember the happy times rather than missing the things that didn't happen.

What you describe is, sadly, totally normal.

For years I could not drive down the road where my sister was killed without feeling sad and the annual meet-up to exchange Christmas presents with my siblings always resulted in sadness on the way home because Jane was missing.