Welcome

[Tom]

Welcome.  This board is for learning about this site and finding your way to the forum that best meets you needs.  Make sure to read this thread.

Glad you have found us.

Tom

[katrina]

Hi,

I am a Katrina survivor and have experienced many losses since that initial one.
My home was distroyed as was most of our possessions.  My family was displaced for a year.  My husband was forced to return home for his job, but me and my kids remained displaced having no place to live and no schools to attend at home. 

Six months after Katrina, my mother died while I was displaced. The second anniversary of her death was yesterday. 

Nine months after she died, my daddy died.  He grieved  himself to death after she left him behind.  By this time I was back home, but I truly didn't see that one coming.  I thought I'd have him for a while yet! It's been just over a year since I lost him.

Life has been very difficult since Hurricane Katrina.  My kids have grown and moved on, one relocating to another state, and another attending college away from home, leaving one at home. 

I love to laugh but sometimes I just find myself feeling sad.  So much has changed since August 2005 and at times it feels like my life has fallen apart; like its broken.

An experience like Hurricane Katrina tends to reshape your world in terms of expectaions and possibilities.  After the onslaught of what I have experienced, its hard to see a day that looks better than the ones I've lived through in the last two years.  I need to see something better.  I have felt enough pain to last through several lifetimes; I'm ready for something else but it eludes me.

There are many more negatives I could have mentioned but these are the main highlights and I think its enough to make your head spin so I won't mention anymore.

I am tired of being tired and I really want to be myself again; I just don't seem to know how.  Maybe I keep too much bottled up, so I'm talking!


Katrina

[anne200_3]

Hello
This is my first time ever to post to any kind of forum.

I find myself in the last few months with a lot of firsts. My husband died on Sept 12th. My son and his wife moved in with me after his Dad died and 3 weeks later she took my two little granddaughters and left. The church where I attend had a huge split.  This past year we had a 20 year old nephew die and my sister was diagnosed with an intraocular melanoma and had surgery to have her eye removed. It seems that it was quite a year and as the new year began I was ready to dish out some firsts of my own. This posting being one of them. It is my hope with this endeavor to end some of the isolation I have been feeling and make some important first steps in my recovery process. Any help, advice encouragement would be much appreciated.

Thanks for it all
A

[sweetpea]

Welcome Ann,
 You have come to the right place. First let me say I am sorry for your loss. Losing a spouse is a terrible thing to endure, my prayers go out to you and your family. Please come back and continue to post, you will find many here  who are willing to listen and talk , whatever you need. 

Sweetpea

[sweetpea]

Dear Katrina.

 I want to tell you that I am so sorry about what you have went through.
Losing your home, everything you own, your parents, it has really been a terrible time for you.

Now is the time for you to smile be uplifted and laugh from the inside.
You sound like such a beautiful person with so much to live for, your children.
I know that it will be hard to do, but you survived Katrina, you can survive anything!!!!! please keep coming back to post, I will be waitng to hear from you. We are all here for each other. Just go to the main board.

Sweetpea

[elfmom]

Greetings to all- I'm new to this forum.  I am a Registered Nurse working on a Psychiatric Unit.  I am always interested in exploring our human condition & have plenty of issues myself that I have worked on resolving.  I look forward to listening & hope others will listen & be there for us.  Peace-elfmom

[laurenE]

Ann  and elfmom

Welcome.   Please feel free to post on our Main board whenever you feel the need to discuss your grief further.


So sorry for your losses,
Lauren

[ffnatural85]

Hi. This is my first time posting on anything. I lost my first son when I was 7 and a half months pregnant. I went into labor on September 17th of 2007 but it was too early and he broke through my placenta and he was born stillborn. I finally got some hope back into my life in January when I found out I was pregnant again. 2 weeks ago I went through a miscarriage though. I'm having a really hard time dealing with all of it and I feel like there isn't any hope. I'm hoping someone out there can help me find the positive in all of this because I really don't see one.


Thank you,

Heartbroken mom

[laurenE]

ffnatural

Im so very sorry for your loss.   Please feel free to continue to post here with us.   We are here for you

[janiebeth]

I hope I'm doing this right. I am a 55 y/o widow who lost her 28 y/o son to suicide a month ago. There are no words to express the feelings that consume me these days. I was told about this site by a friend who wants to help. Please help me get started.

[Ians-Mom]

I am returning,
I cant believe it has been almost 6 years..
This is still so hard to believe, Ian is gone.

[laurenE]

Welcome back.   I'm so sorry for your loss.    Six years seems to be a difficult angel date.  Recently many people have come back for the 6yr anniv.   I hope you continue to find support here on our child loss board.    Thank you for introducing yourself to us again.   

[anya]

     A collegue just walked past my door, and said to another..."who wants to talk to him, when he just stays in his room and crys?  noone wants to talk to someone who crys everytime you talk to them"

Well,  I  wondered, is she talking about me?   

Its true, i cry often, i thought i'd have finished my tears now, a phenomenon lasting 44 years +...I'm 59!      I wonder?    I feel so sensitive when thing are tense, I cry everytime I express my self sincerely.  It doesn't feel really "normal"  and I wonder..ponder,  after all these years.......Is it ever possible to "get over"  those  horrible moments of life that happened? 

I dont think so,  they happened, that's how it was.

But,  my acceptance, recognition of my loss, pain, ssadness, and tears to express it, have helped a lot over the years to take the shock out of my mind, nervous system.     Then, after the tears,  I am Firmly Convinced,  that sorrow must put on the coat of  caring for others, take what has been learned, share, love,  and go on , taking opportunities which come my way, seeking out opportunities  to care for someone else.  It doesn't mean I loved my lossed ones any less.

  And for me,  I must view my life like that because it brings some goodness for my existence.  Otherwise,  my brother's tragic death over a high precipice, my sister's accident, my dearest friends suicide, and my father's unexpected passing  would continue to overcome me.   It does sometimes, I wish I could heal fully, and  I wish I knew if it really is possible?  I can only understand that to circulate my hurt places into new expressions are probably my only 'saving grace' .  I do what I can, and am open to reading about any ways you have learned which can help.   I need help,  parts of my life do not function as well as they could, and I took 2008 as the year to re-connect to loving myself  so I can be of more good for others.

There was a spark of strength behind my collegues statement  "who wants to talk to someone who crys all the time? "   I know her - she is not heartless, but her dismay is because she says she sees great strength in me,  but  fails to understand  "why"  i  cry.    So many friends and collegues over 25 years have expressed the same to me,  yet still I cry.    I would like to know some techniques to help to the next stage of healing.   

Thank you for this website, it is a god-send.  Blessings to all., Anya           

[mis2121]

Hello,

My life has taken many life altering turns over the last couple of years but not as many as in the last couple of months.  My sister passed away 4 months ago at the age of 37.  She was one of my best friends and was my rock and sounding board.  She was 4 years older and always a big sister.  I have been struggling with infertility for 6 years and my sister was pregnant with twins and was sharing every part of the experience with my she could until at 37 weeks along she suddenly passed away and the twins were only able to survive for a couple of days.  I am lost without her and miss her so much.  Every big problem or tragedy up until this point I had her to be there with me and now alone trying to be there for her daughter age 6.  I just needed to put it out there how very much I miss her she was a great sister.

[laurenE]

Wow,  you have had to endure many losses and I am so sorry.   Your infertility,  the loss of your sister,  and your sister's twins...  how very sad.      She left behind a 6 yr old and now you have to pick up the pieces for the child.     

I am glad you found us here and hope you feel supported.  We  also have a board for Sibling loss that you may want to introduce yourself to as well,  so that you can receive all of the support possible here. 

Keeping you in my prayers,

Lauren