As Dying Matters Week draws to a close, I wanted to share with you my personal experience of organ donation. It’s vital we feel able to talk about aspects of death like this. I have shared, in quite some detail, the process that is necessary in order to donate organs to another – a dilemmaContinueContinue reading “Organ donation: Abi’s parting gift”
Tag Archives: grief
It’s our crystal wedding anniversary!
Today, my husband and I celebrate 15 years of wedded bliss. 15 years, wow! I can still remember how I felt back then, 15th May 1999; how nervous I was on our wedding day, but how certain I was too. We always mark our anniversaries. We think it’s our special day to remind ourselves whereContinueContinue reading “It’s our crystal wedding anniversary!”
Why I’m dying to write about dying
I heard on the news today that – shock, surprise – people don’t like talking about death! This type of ‘research’ irritates me. Of course we don’t like talking about death and our mortality. It’s depressing for a start, not to mention bringing up painful emotions, or making us realise we’re not getting any younger.ContinueContinue reading “Why I’m dying to write about dying”
“Abi was beautiful and clever and wonderful”
Some days I feel a heavy sense of confusion with my grief and the effort of trying to hold myself and my family together with some kind of normality. Yet, it’s often on days like this, when a sort of gloom has set in, that I receive an unexpected message of comfort. It could beContinueContinue reading ““Abi was beautiful and clever and wonderful””
What a baby sock taught me about grief
This tiny sock, apart from being utterly cute, revealed a lot to me about how my shopping habits have changed over the past 14 months. Abi had not long turned 12 and, now that she was at secondary school, she had become more interested in fashion; New Look was a particular favourite shop of hers.ContinueContinue reading “What a baby sock taught me about grief”
Sharing stories of grief
I’m often so aware of my grief that I feel like I’m going out of my tiny mind! Each day, I live and breathe the heartache of knowing the pain that is to be a grieving mother. I’ll be doing something ordinary… ironing, preparing a meal, reading to one of my children, shopping in town…ContinueContinue reading “Sharing stories of grief”
Child Benefit… a sore subject for the bereaved parent!
Oh the irony. Having just had a baby, I’ve finally got round to filling out the claim form for child benefit, the same day we receive our first correctly adjusted and reduced payment (for two children instead of three) following Abi’s death 14 months ago. Dealing with the Child Benefit department at HM Revenue andContinueContinue reading “Child Benefit… a sore subject for the bereaved parent!”
A blob of gum
We cleaned our cars at the weekend, not a common occurrence I’m ashamed to admit especially with a newborn keeping our tired arms occupied enough, but after the recent sandy rain we couldn’t put it off any longer. However, there’s one spot in my car (the family estate) which I’ll never clean… the boot sideContinueContinue reading “A blob of gum”
Double grief
Living with grief means that I often sit outside of myself and reflect on my troubled mind. I’ve recognised that my thoughts surrounding my grief are two-fold: I need to deal with the trauma, the post-traumatic stress, from both mine and Abi’s perspective. First there are my ‘selfish’ thoughts about what happened to ME, aContinueContinue reading “Double grief”
Mixed blessings at Easter
Just like all big occasions, Easter isn’t the same without Abi here. The girl who loved chocolate, egg hunts and holidays. This is our second Easter without Abi, and while we’re keeping it low key again, this year I didn’t cry when I contemplated which chocolates to buy my other children so I suppose thatContinueContinue reading “Mixed blessings at Easter”
Chasing Dragonflies 