Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Caryn Hersh on October 14, 2013 at 8:13pm

Tammie
So very sorry for your loss. I know exactly the feelings you are describing. I lost my brother in February to suicide. It's taken a while but I am no longer crying every single day. It's not quite as constant. Now it's at a point where it is like waves. There are highs and lows and sometimes the waves crash over you out of the blue. This is a great place for comfort. Everyone can relate to what you are feeling. One thing I was told that I thought was stupid and really did make a lot of sense is drink lots of water, crying really will dehydrate you. Try to take care of yourself. You are part of this club now and we are here for you. Hugs to you.

Permalink Reply by Lynda on October 14, 2013 at 9:29pm

I lost my 16 year old son last December...you are in shell shock. that is what that time period you are describing felt like to me. I am so deeply sorry for your pain, and i wishi could say it gets better. i think you just get used to it. everytime i hear of someone ending their lives, it is like reliving this nightmare for me. it happened right in front of me, over words and a huge fight he had with his Dad and one time step dad. we may never have answers, peace, but forgive yourself. your son, like mine, made a decision, impaired by a disease atleast called depression. my son battled as long as he could, stood up to grown men, cowards, to right a wrong the only way he thought he could. i never got angry with my son, i just felt so deeply sorry for failing him as his Mom. i did the best i could with everything i had, at every turn. lean on your friends, family. take time off. I'm almost ten months out and it is just now hitting me from all directions it seems.talk to a counselor, sleep, scale back commitments, do what feels good for you right now. i got caught up intaking care of others. take care of you....

Permalink Reply by Margo powell on October 14, 2013 at 10:51pm

Tammy, My heart breaks for you:( I wish I had words that could sooth your grief stricken heart. Unfortunately, I don't. What I can offer is support. Everyone on this site has experienced the loss of someone very dear to them to suicide. There are wonderful souls who will help you navigate through the difficult stages of grief. May you find the peace you need to move forward. God Bless You! I'll keep you in my my prayers. I wish you strength and understanding. Margo

Permalink Reply by Grieving Mom on October 15, 2013 at 2:22am

I, too, am deeply sorry for your great and precious loss.....I'm so sorry.  My son ended his life on July 17, 2013, he was weeks away from his 18th birthday.  One moment at a time....that's all I can say.  May God comfort you, and I will pray that you have loving, supportive people surrounding you as you walk through this dark time.  I wish I had more to say....only that I grieve along with you....my heart is heavy for you.

Permalink Reply by Julie Ann Reid on October 15, 2013 at 6:38am

Tammie - I don't know how to deal with it, I feel like I am going backwards, I feel darker, more lost - I don't know what to do.  My 23 year old son was missing in December of 2010. My son was my world - an old soul - who filled my life.   He took his life - I have been frozen ever since - in a fog - And I know this is probably not what you need - you need people that have pulled through - been shining stars  - survivors... but I just had to write, I felt so connected with your grief. 

Julie - in Indiana

Permalink Reply by Tammie McNally on October 15, 2013 at 7:44am

Those were, by far, the worst 16 hours of my life... waiting to hear if he was safe.   I cannot even imagine how I am going to move on... everything is moving so fast around me and I feel as if I am in a tunnel watching.  I don't understand the people around me.  They act as if Michael never existed.  I think that is because of the way he died.  Suicide is so traumatic.  There is a stigma attached to it. I think I will vomit if I hear one more person say to me "it's admiral how strong you are"... I am not strong.  I am dead inside.  I am numb.

Permalink Reply by Angel Poreda on October 15, 2013 at 2:55pm

Tammy, I'm so sorry for your loss.. I lost my sister to suicide in February and it's lots of ups and downs honestly today was a bad day for me ... My sisters ex boyfriend sent me a photo album of a trip they took together .. I miss that girl soooo much ! There will be better days as each day , then , week , then month go on you will find yourself smiling or laughing again .. But you will also have bad days And its ok.. You have the right to your feelings and most importantly your feelings are your feelings and it's ok.. Us in this group are in sort of a club a club not 1 of us expected to be in !!!! But we are here for u btw caryn had the best advice Water and plenty of it .. Plus try to remember to eat ...

Permalink Reply by Rebecca Church on October 15, 2013 at 3:14pm

My Dearest Tammie - Please accept my sincerest of sympathies.  I can only tell you that I and far too many others know exactly how you are feeling.  I wish I could wave a magic wand and make every ones hurt and pain go away but I can not.  I can offer my shoulder should you need to sort through everything.  You are describing shock.  I still find myself reliving it, trying to make sense of it, trying to find some way I could have stopped my brother from leaving us.  But I am always brought back to the same ending.  My experience - the pain and loss never goes away but each day gives me some changes.  The tears still flow but not as often or as long as they used to

The dreams have turned to good ones instead of nightmares and I can talk about it now.  My advice - talk about it to anyone who will listen and be honest. What I mean by "honest" is addressing the anger as well.  I didn't do that and I found myself angry at everyone.  My heart weeps for you and your loved ones.  It pains me to know so many others are walking this broken road...but it also comforts me to know that others understand and have found a way to cope.

Please reach out here, to friends, to relatives and let them walk with you down the road.  I do hope my words give you some hope.

Rebecca

Permalink Reply by Tammie McNally on October 16, 2013 at 6:52am

Thank you for your kind words. I have reached out to relatives but honestly, my six siblings were there for about 5 minutes.  I am super close with them but this has driven a wedge between us and I honestly think it's because nobody knows what to say to me.  Michael attempted to take his life the last week of June by taking a bottle of pills that were prescribed for his depression.  He ended up in the ICU for a week.  Even with that, I still felt confident that it was a cry for help and that he didn't intend on killing himself.  He told both his father and I that he had taken them.  What makes this so hard, is that 3 days before his death, he texted me a note saying Hi Mom... things are going well.  No worries, I love you... then he called to to talk for a bit.  He did sound good.  Which was something I hadn't heard in his voice in a long time.  I am an ER Trauma RN... I should have known.  I did say to my ex that I thought it was odd that he seemed so at peace.  I should have done more.  Friday he went missing.  He was found on Saturday in the woods outside of his workplace hung from a tree.  He was so far in the woods it took over 16 hours to find him.  I am heartbroken.  I miss him more than you can imagine and I cannot get the image of him doing this to himself out of my mind.  I have nightmares of me running through the woods desperately trying to find him.  I wonder if I will ever feel normal again.

Permalink Reply by Angel Poreda on October 16, 2013 at 10:15am

Tammie,
My sister also tried killing herself about a month before she succeeded in hanging herself in the basement of her brand new house ... I remember being on the phone with the er.. Telling them about her mental health problems basically pleading with them to help her .. When I called back 30 minutes later they had released her because she refused care !!! I was exactly where u are at I truly believed she was just crying out for help . So when I got that next phone call that she. Had actually hung herself with her 6 month old baby and fiancé right upstairs I was in complete shock tunnel vision for months I swear I was still sitting in that consultation room getting the news.. I don't think it's easy to be at peace when your heart is shattered... The person who I would've done anything for just ended her life like a light switch going off .. It's unfair and deeply heart breaking .. This is still new for u I have had 8 months to reflect and somedays it's easier and some days it's not .i know that sounds cliche but its true .. You will get through this we are all here for you I am soooo incredibly sorry this has happened to another family ...

Permalink Reply by Tammie McNally on October 16, 2013 at 10:36am

Thank you, Angel.  I did everything I could for my son.  He had been in counseling for 9 years on and off.  Tried meds, therapy, etc.  He threatened suicide since he was 14.  Didn't attempt until 3 months before he succeeded.  I tried everything.  In the last 6 months I tried tough love and although I told him how much I loved him in every conversation, I believe he questioned that in the end.  I have incredible guilt in that.  I know I shouldn't, but I do.  

Permalink Reply by Lynda on October 16, 2013 at 10:56am

There is so much hurt.  In everything.  We are hurt because people are so afraid to talk to us about our children and cause more hurt--and end up causing more hurt because we don't want them forgotten entirely.  Suicide is so complicated.  It's  like we aren't entitled to grieve our losses.  Tammie mentioned the compliments on strength--they are stomach churning.  I'm 10 months into this and barely sleep at night, I can't keep up with everything and have frequent nightmares about the incident that happened right in front of me.  I'm great at forcing myself to get through a day begrudgingly...that is not strength at this point, it is stamina.  I too put Bryan through many treatment programs, thinking eventually counseling and therapy would stick and he would realize how important he was to us and his friends.  Just last night, I attended my first Compassionate Friends meeting.  I plan to go back.  These are people who've lost a child--not all by suicide, but some have.  They can relate to the pain and torment we are going through.  What I heard last night echoes what I'm reading today.  Even family members--sisters, brothers, parents--aren't capable of truly empathizing with us in a way that is healthy and helpful to healing.  Perhaps participating in a group like this would help you find some peace and comfort.  There's just something about sharing a hug and tears with someone who has truly climbed this mountain of grief.

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