Author Archives: Kelly 🌻

I refuse to give up on Christmas even though I’m grieving

When I’ve looked at the search terms people use to find my blog, my heart aches. These are just the Christmas-related search terms for my blog this week: ‘Coping with the loss of a child, on what should be their first Christmas’ ‘Christmas loss of a child’ ‘Christmas cards appropriate to send after losing aContinueContinue reading “I refuse to give up on Christmas even though I’m grieving”

Health anxiety (hypochondria) after the death of a loved one

As someone who now openly admits to suffering with health anxiety, since the death of my 12-year-old daughter and three pregnancy losses, I tend to avoid any kind of health-related TV programme. In fact, I wrote this blog post about why TV alienates the grieving as it contains so much death, blood, gore and trauma.ContinueContinue reading “Health anxiety (hypochondria) after the death of a loved one”

The physical pains of grief

It’s been a while since I posted about my reluctant but important decision to take antidepressant (or rather anti-anxiety) medication. I have taken a break from writing for a while, to let life settle and see what comes of this new course of treatment. While at first the medicine seemed to exacerbate my symptoms, theyContinueContinue reading “The physical pains of grief”

What Disney’s Inside Out taught me about grief and loss

I recently took my daughter, age 12, to watch Inside Out. It was a rare day that we had alone and I felt it would be a poignant film to see together. Having researched the film (which I have to do with anything I expose my children to), I was impressed by the reviews whichContinueContinue reading “What Disney’s Inside Out taught me about grief and loss”

A grieving mother’s bucket list – catching frogs and drinking good coffee!

I recently bumped into an old friend, someone I’d not seen in around 20 years. We had a nice chat about the main aspects of what we’ve done with our lives, as you do, and we got onto the subject of fitness. My friend revealed she was entered into a marathon and was working outContinueContinue reading “A grieving mother’s bucket list – catching frogs and drinking good coffee!”

The dark side of grief – craving escape from the mental and physical pain of loss

I recently went for my first month check-up at the doctors, to see how I’ve settled taking the antidepressants. For anyone who has not taken antidepressants before, or who hasn’t experienced anxiety – and especially for those grieving mummas out there who are finding that anxiety and depression are adding to their grief, I wantedContinueContinue reading “The dark side of grief – craving escape from the mental and physical pain of loss”

When celebrities die – Why are we still so ‘shocked’ by death?

Yesterday, the news reported that Cilla Black – one of the UK’s ‘national treasures’ of entertainment, had died. The Media was ‘shocked and saddened’ by the news. Then social media saw a flurry of posts as people shared their own ‘shock’ at her death. Cilla? Dead? That cannot be? Even Bruce Forsyth said he wasContinueContinue reading “When celebrities die – Why are we still so ‘shocked’ by death?”

Book review: Through the eyes of a lion, Levi Lusko

I was contacted by the publicist in Nashville, Tennessee, for the pastor and author Levi Lusko, to review a copy of his first book, Through the eyes of a lion. The press release said: ‘On December 20, 2012, five-year-old Lenya Lusko went to heaven while in her parents’ arms after a massive, unexpected asthma attack. WithContinueContinue reading “Book review: Through the eyes of a lion, Levi Lusko”

My failures as a grieving mum

I’ve failed. Life seems fractured. Daily events feel insurmountable. Relationships are strained and unstable. Work is challenging. Motivation to care, about much, is gone. I’m sharing this deeply personal post because I know for sure that I’m not alone. That out there are other mothers, in mourning, trying to hold it all together, being strongContinueContinue reading “My failures as a grieving mum”