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As the Mental Picture of Your Loved One Fades

Posted on December 16, 2009 - by Harriet Hodgson

My daughter was 45 years old when she died on a February night from the injuries she received in a car crash. The last time I saw her, she was taking her children to see their dying grandfather, and laughing at something they said. When she died two days later – before her grandfather – I was stunned. For months, the image of my daughter, laughing in the sunshine, was clear in my mind. I saw it again and again. As time passed, however, the image began to fade. Sidney Zisook, MD, talks about mental pictures in an Audio-Digest Website […]

Poem: Message

Posted on December 15, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

In my dream An elderly gent Flowing, white hair Comforted me In my despair. Mesmerized By his love, His blue eyes As heavenly As the sky above. Words not spoken Filled my mind. I understood then His message, His message of time. A message of hope And, of courage. A message of love And, of strength. A message of truth. The backbone of life It’s in your spine. The pain of today Will leave with time. God’s love will light the way. Deborah Ann Tornillo Author, “36 Days Apart” Copyright© 2009 http://www.deborahtornillo.com

Three Years into Grief Journey: A Surprising Struggle

Posted on December 15, 2009 - by Harriet Hodgson

As I get closer to the third anniversary of my daughter’s death, I struggle with opposite emotions. I feel the pain of death and the joy of living. The first year after my daughter died I cringed when people asked, “How are you?” Now I welcome the question. For as the months passed, people began to forget about my losses. While this is normal, it was hard for me, especially since I had so much grief work to do. A few days ago, I went to the florist and bought a holiday plant. The sales associate knew my grandchildren became […]

The Yin and Yang of Caring for Terminally Ill Child

Posted on December 14, 2009 - by Lisa Buell

Alternative therapies weren’t the first line of defense when our five-and-a-half month old was diagnosed with cancer. We opted for what was proven; we put Madison’s life in the hands of exceptional pediatric oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, nurses and anesthesiologists. If untreated, the cancer was sure to kill her, but so could the treatment. We threw every recommended treatment at the cancer. Her quality of life was the point off which we navigated the maze of medicine hashing out benefits vs. burden. We sought alternative therapies in an effort to support our daughters system throughout the rigors of treatment. Lavender wafted through our […]

Poem: Comfort

Posted on December 12, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

The pain of tonight He’s finally resting. He’s not hurting That is all that matters In this life of mine. The struggles of the past Been there, died there. Nothing compares To the love of today Wanting, wanting to protect. How do I comfort? Same question I’ve asked Not too long ago, How do I stop their pain? My arms don’t sustain. God, help me comfort And, give them their strength. The power of you Comforts the power of them. Shine, let them feel your light. Frustrated, scared, and Asking for a miracle. Do you hear me? My Lord and […]

When Death Steals Your Holidays

Posted on December 12, 2009 - by Paul Bennett

We all have images about how life should look, and those images are never more powerful than when we look ahead to a holiday. My wife, Bonnie, loved Christmas. The fall when she was dying of cancer, she ordered presents by phone and online, sent our daughter Rebecca to stores, and had me pack presents for shipping. She finished all her Christmas shopping, and she died on the 17th of December. A couple of days after Bonnie’s memorial service, Rebecca and I opened the gifts Bonnie had bought for us. We were numb, uprooted. The only thing stranger than opening […]

Poem: For Sale

Posted on December 11, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

Sad eyes Without a smile. Years of tears Stained with fear. A broken heart That’s torn apart. A body and mind Tested by time. A tired soul Made of solid gold. Lifetime of pain Comes with a cane. Yesterday and tomorrow Feelings of sorrow. Memories of death There’s more left. Grief Without relief. All offers accepted! Deborah Ann Tornillo Copyright© 2009 http://www.deborahtornillo.com

Stress and Grief: To Fight or Befriend

Posted on December 11, 2009 - by admin

By Tom Golden As I watched our local TV news the other day, I was saddened to see a brief clip about a little, seven-year-old boy who had been hit by a car and killed. The tragedy happened not far from the boy’s home. The news cameras focused on the bereaved mother, sitting in her living room, in tears and surrounded by other women who were consoling her. The next image was of the bereaved father who was by himself, pacing next to the roadside near where the accident had happened. The news anchor explained that the father was trying […]

Honor the Deceased, Even if Relationship Was Broken

Posted on December 10, 2009 - by Harriet Hodgson

When my brother died in the spring of 2007, I barely had time to mourn him. Our elder daughter — mother of our twin grandchildren — had died four months earlier. My father-in-law died the same weekend and we were swamped with tasks. We were also doing all we could to nurture our grandchildren — children who were now without a mother. Grief was still raw when my brother had a heart attack and died. Apparently, he had survived cancer treatment, but his heart had not. We attended the memorial service on Long Island, flew home, and tried to put […]

Poem: Let Me……

Posted on December 9, 2009 - by Deborah Tornillo

Let me enjoy Christmas I want to feel the sparkle The white of the lights The colors of the season. Let me enjoy Christmas I want to get beyond The crowds at the mall For all the right seasons. Let me enjoy Christmas I want to feel the holiday The happiness of my family And, yes – the happiness of me. Let me enjoy Christmas No more tears No more sadness No more deaths. Let me feel Christmas! Deborah Ann Tornillo Copyright©, 2009 http://www.deborahtornillo.com