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Bereavement

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Christmas hope - our safe haven thread for bereaved parents.

993 replies

shabbapinkfrog · 11/12/2011 13:54

Hope....for the bereaved parent; even at Christmas, one of the most painful times of the year, there is an essence of hope. Hope....it is hope that sustains us through the days of grief and anger and frustration and loneliness.

The hope that someday the pain of the deaths of our children will be eased. The hope that someday our smiles will be real.

So, it is that for each of you I would hope....peace, compassion, love, sympathy, understanding, sharing and listening. In the sharing of our grief with one another, and in the emotional support we give to one another, we receive and understand all of these gifts.

Remembering my precious sons....and all of your precious children at this difficult time of year.

OP posts:
AMAW · 28/01/2012 23:23

Justmee, how terribly sad. I'm so sorry. There is just no sense to be made of these tragedies. It happened such a short time ago - you must feel so raw.

AMAW · 28/01/2012 23:32

Chip, in fact although I was dreading it going back to work was okay. In some ways it might even be useful because it is a kind of break from non stop grief, so when I come back to it I have processed a tiny part of it. I don't know if that makes sense? What was hard though, was telling people who had slipped through the net and didn't know what had happened. I felt bad for them and then had to keep it together. I have a really understanding boss and have occasionally told her that I'm having a very bad day and will be in late.

accidentprawn · 29/01/2012 07:29

justmee :( I am so sorry that you have had to join us here.

Anytime of day or night and you need to say something about your angel just post. someone will be here. x

shabbapinkfrog · 29/01/2012 09:06

Morning girls xx

Glad you found us justmee - just sorry that you had to. xxx

OP posts:
Whatevertheweather · 29/01/2012 09:29

Morning ladies. So sorry you have found yourself here Justmee but a warm welcome xx

AMAW · 29/01/2012 17:14

Justmee, I'm thinking about you and the terrible rollercoaster you were on with your tiny beautiful boy.
I'm thinking of us all. To all those hurting tonight, I wish you some, even if fleeting, peace. X

Whatevertheweather · 29/01/2012 20:59

Aw my lovely Katie today saw a beautiful white feather float down from the sky today. She shouted to me and dp 'look look what Erin has thrown down for me. It's a feather from her dove' (she thinks the dove she released at the funeral went to keep Erin company) she then started blowing kisses up into the sky saying 'go and find Erin and tell her I love her and thank you for the feather' I was very choked up at my lovely girl.

blizy · 29/01/2012 21:06

oh justme- I am so very sorry to hear of your loss.

There has been far too many newbies to this thread recently, it shouldn't be this way life is so u fair!Sad

whatever- Katy sounds very cute, Erin is looking out for her big sister.

everlong · 29/01/2012 21:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AMAW · 29/01/2012 21:12

Oh Whatever, I'm choked up too. What a beautiful story. Bless your Katie - she sounds gorgeous.

MiaAlexandrasmummy · 29/01/2012 22:19

whatever children are just amazing, aren't they? Katie sounds such a gorgeous little girl. Today, I had a little friend of Mia's ask me where she was, then he said she was in the sky, and insisted on sitting on my lap and go through all the photos and videos of her on my phone. He always talks about her... they feel just as much as we do, and show it in such beautiful ways.

shabbapinkfrog · 29/01/2012 23:18

Children see everything in 'black or white' - they dont wallow in the grey part, the part that us adults do. Adults are swimming in the treacle of guilt, of 'if onlys' of desperate longing to see their loved ones again. I wish I could think like a child.

The day after my Matt was killed a neighbours little boy knocked at the door. He was the youngest of 5 boys and, at the time, was about 4. Matt used to call him 'snotty Simon' cause he always had a snotty nose Smile Snotty Simon knocked at the door and came into the house. He said 'What happened to Matt, my mum says I cant ask you but I want to know.' I told him as simply as I could and then he said 'Can I have his football boots because they are brand new and I always get my big brothers cast offs!!' He said 'Matt has put them behind the settee and I dont think he will mind - do you?' A few minutes later off he trotted with his brand new boots Smile His Mum was mortified that he had them but I wished I could think the way that Snotty Simon did.

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 30/01/2012 00:47

Whatever how lovely! Ds4 talks about "Sylvie-Rose's feathers" too.

Funny enough, yesterday ds1 told me that he was playing a game, one like SIMs where you build a house among other things and that when he went into his house in the game there were two feathers lying on the couch that he couldn't explain.

chipmonkey · 30/01/2012 00:55

Mias I had been wondering if any of our dc's had met each other and I said to Sylvie-Rose "If you've met Mia, show me some bluebells. No rush, maybe in the next few days, maybe somewhere I'm not expecting them " I was in the garden centre today and was literally rushing through when I was drawn to some snowdrops they had on display. Thought they looked a bit bedraggled so didn't buy them but then noticed that there was a sign beside them in front of some other pots with BLUEBELLS written on it. Not yet blooming so no flowers but I was quite surprised to see them there as I thought they only grew wild. I do hope it was a little sign from both our girls.

shabbapinkfrog · 30/01/2012 06:44

Morning girls xx

OP posts:
lavandes · 30/01/2012 09:36

Morning ladies xx

chipmonkey · 30/01/2012 10:08

Morning ladies x

Bluetinkerbell · 30/01/2012 10:14

morning all! x

karmathreefold · 30/01/2012 10:28

chip What a lovely sign! I think it is almost certainly a message, as you were so specific in what you asked, and you asked for it when it wasn't expected - which is how it happened xx

whatever that is lovely, children can (as shabba says) accept these things so much easier, they don't need to 'rationalise' their thoughts/beliefs, as such it is so much easier to find comfort.

It is three months today that Tamsin was born - although she would have been 13 weeks yesterday - I'm going on the date here.

Tomorrow it will be 14 weeks since we found out she died.

I'm still struggling. The shock has gone, the hoping it was just a nightmare has subsided, and I've now accepted that this is my reality. Added to that that no one cares anymore... my sister phoned me telling me how she feels like killing herself because she may lose a house she would like if her DH (whom she's divorcing) doesn't pay.... I was so angry, she's upset about the 'area' she may live in! It took everything to not say "get a grip you silly woman" (it's not just that she moaned about houses near where I live as they're "not good enough" for her).

DD1 is too young to even contemplate death. She did meet her sister, albeit very briefly, but of course will not remember.

She does come up to me & lift my top & pat my tummy saying "baby", as when I was pregnant I used to tell her this. She also says "baby gone" a lot, which is strange, but I guess that she's just putting things together.

I feel that my grief is now not allowed. I look at Tamsin's little hands, and her little perfect body, but am aware of people who have said to me in the last week, that they know how I feel. One woman was someone who had an ectopic pregnancy, and told me & my sister how long it will take to get over it, and how I should be feeling based on her experience... I just came home and cried into my pillow. I remember when this woman had the ectopic & I remember her crying about it... but somehow her telling me that she knows how I feel really upset me, I look at Tamsin's photos & feel so lost - that no one really appreciates she was a real baby - fully-formed, 37weeks - more or less full-term, and now she is just thought of as the same as an ectopic (which is awful I know, but is not a fully formed viable baby).

I feel that I no longer really belong on here, I now feel, that maybe I didn't really lose a baby, as everyone who tells me they know how I feel in the last week (there was another woman who had two 8 week miscarriages), are just diminishing the extent of my loss & have dragged me down. Maybe they're right

karmathreefold · 30/01/2012 10:31

I just want to add that I have had miscarriages in the past, and they were awful, devastating, but not the same as a late miscarriage, or a stillborn baby. When you have to give birth to a child (whether late miscarriage, or full-term stillbirth, it can't be the same as early miscarriage surely?

Whatevertheweather · 30/01/2012 12:54

Karma I have had people say similar to me re early miscarriages. I don't let it impact on my feelings about Erin. Their saying that doesn't change how you feel about Tamsin. You don't need anyone to validate your feelings for her. As for other people, even your close family, sadly their life does go on. My dsis is planning a lovely holiday, my dbro is having problems with his stepson. Their talking to me about things going on in their lives does not in any way mean I'm not allowed to still be grieving. It doesn't mean they don't still think of Erin and grieve for her too. But we can't just talk about that all of the time.

What I am trying to say, very clumsily I suspect, is try not to let other people drag you down and make you feel you shouldn't be grieving. If they genuinely are doing that don't give them headspace. You know she was a fully formed full term baby. The way I rationalise it is people can only emphasise within the realms of their own experience. So if they've had an early miscarriage perhaps that was the absolute worse thing that has ever happened to them. As losing Tamsin is the worst that has happened to you. You may think the two don't compare, but they haven't lost a full term child so don't know how that feels so may think it is as bad. This all makes sense in my head. Think ultimately what I'm trying to say (badly) is don't let other people make you feel like you should be 'over it' or 'better now' as it's just not true xx

chipmonkey · 30/01/2012 14:30

karma, I really think most people genuinely don't have a clue how bad it actually is. I genuinely thought I had miscarried Sylvie-Rose at almost 8 weeks. It turned out I had miscarried her twin, Sylvie-Rose was still there. I felt dreadful but it was nothing, nothing, nothing to how I felt when she died. And your sister probably hasn't forgotten, but she doesn't realise the ongoing impact it has on your life.

AMAW · 30/01/2012 15:57

Karma, I don't want to diminish the grief of those who have miscarried, but a full term, solid baby is just not the same. I suppose they are just trying to find a way to relate and so use the saddest thing that happened to them. Your Tamsin was a terrible loss. Your grief is both understandable and warranted and I am so sorry that you feel you should stop talking about her. Don't. You don't need validation for your hurt and pain. She is part of your life and always will be. I don't feel I will get over Rufus and don't think I want to. He was my first child. I know a lot of people wouldn't think of me like this, but to me, I'm a mum and I did the hardest job a mum has to do. So did you.
Rufus was born on the 26 Sept and I can feel his warm body on mine as if it's happening right now. Nobody will know how that makes me feel and I'm not sure I want them to. It was a special private thing. Just me, Rufus and Rufus's dad.
You know what happened and how you feel.

MiaAlexandrasmummy · 30/01/2012 16:10

karma everyone will always have opinions. You know the truth. What is grief for someone may not be the same for another person. Hold true to your love for Tamsin, and if that means it is right to grieve, to love, to remember, then no-one can stop you.

chip I love your bluebell story. Just wonderful, you have made my day. Our two little fairies playing together in a beautiful woodland somewhere. When the bluebells in our garden come up, I shall think of Sylvie-Rose sitting with Mia, playing in the dirt with big cheeky grins on both of their faces!

accidentprawn · 30/01/2012 16:22

hello girls!

Karma : everyone is entitled to there opinions.