March 2009 Blog Posts (21)

I need help

I learned on March 30, 2009 that my younger brother perished in a house fire in Detroit Michigan. Thankfully we believed that it was the smoke that ended his life. My brother's body wasn't consumed by fire, and he looked so peaceful according to my mom and brother. I am struggling with this because ironically 2 years and 27 days earlier I learned that my only sister lost her battle with breast cancer. I am a minister, husband, father, brother, son and uncle. I have those that look up to me for… Continue

Added by Iguan on March 31, 2009 at 10:38pm — No Comments

a great big brother

he was a great big brother.you will never be forgotten.I MISS YOU.and i love you.i know in my heart that i will see you again in heaven.your silbings love him.i know i wasn,t ready to let go,but know i am.

Added by Connie on March 28, 2009 at 8:46pm — 1 Comment

The Final Stages

The final stages have begun with Bobby. Just talked with the coroners office and they are permanently filing today. His death certificate will be available on Monday. No, I didn't ask what they had put for his cause of death. I'm afraid to. Isn't losing him enough? Do I really have to know WHY he died?
I already know why.
Why is there so much to do after a person dies?
Why is it so hard to keep moving forward with all that needs to be done?
Can anyone answer my questions?

Added by Connie on March 27, 2009 at 1:44pm — No Comments

a poem for grandma i will forever miss you

TOMORROWS QUICKLY COMING THE DAY I REALLY DREAD

I WISH TO KEEP THE COVERS TIGHT OVER TOP MY HEAD

I KNOW I CAN'T DO IT THE KIDS NEED ME REALLY BAD

I JUST REALLY MISS YOU ALWAYS I FEEL REALLY REALLY SAD

I KNOW CHRISTMAS IS COMING SOON MY FIRST WITHOUT YOU NEAR

I JUST DIDN'T REALIZE YOU GO SO SOON THAT WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR

YOU WERE EVERYTHING TO ME I MISS YOU EVERYDAY

I REALLY WISH I COULD SEE YOU THERES LOTS I HAVE TO… Continue

Added by melinda stoll on March 24, 2009 at 11:14pm — 2 Comments

Losing My Big Brother

Losing my big brother is by far the worst feeling that I've ever experienced.

Maybe if he was older, it wouldn't hurt as bad. Maybe not, but we will not ever find out.

He died legally on March 5,2009. But really he died on February 22, 2009 when he hit the floor. He had a brain stem bleed and was in a coma. He would have not ever woke up. My siblings and I had to make a choice for him. We remembered what he said when our Father was on life support. "He didn't want to ever live like… Continue

Added by Connie on March 19, 2009 at 6:01pm — 1 Comment

Book Review: 'The Year of Magical Thinking'

“You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.” So begins Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, the National Book award winning memoir that chronicles the devastating aftermath of her husband’s sudden death of a heart-attack just months before their 40th anniversary. Compounding and confusing her grieving process is her daughter Quintana’s mysterious (and ultimately fatal)… Continue

Added by LegacyConnect on March 19, 2009 at 11:17am — No Comments

Alone

The Police came to my door. I acted odd. I didn't cry. I thanked them. They left me card. The Officer who was with the coroner. The coroner.Victim services. I Thanked them and closed the door. Than I phoned my sister. She never answered. I went to tell my daughter. I drove for a hour to wake up our 83 old mother. I told her. She was her baby. Of eight children , she was her baby.

The next day I went to the funeral home. Than I went to her apartment. I saw what they had done to her… Continue

Added by Pam on March 19, 2009 at 1:03am — No Comments

Loss of a Son- 8 yrs old-

check out my page that i just added, look for Kurt Dalton, or under my name Rita L. Williams, not sure how this site exactly works, but hoping to get some responses from ANYONE, that can understand what i'm feeling....Rita

Added by Rita L. Williams on March 18, 2009 at 8:31pm — No Comments

Anyone there that has lost a special needs child?

Needed: Friends that understand my feelings and someone to just listen at times with my missing of my son, as I wrote my first comment to myself, sad huh... I understand losing a child period is AWFUL for any parent to experience, but to have that feeling of unconditional love, unconditional need, and unconditional life experiences to battle together closer than any spouses could handle together, now it seems the ONLY thing in my life that was given to me unconditionally has been took… Continue

Added by Rita L. Williams on March 18, 2009 at 4:50pm — 2 Comments

Words from long ago warm the heart

My daughter visited this week and when she arrived she had a twinkle in her eye. She extended her hand and there was a card I had never seen. “I found this while I was cleaning and it’s from Grandma,” she said.

I sat on the couch in front of the fire and opened the card. I’ve re-read notes and letters from my mom many times since her death, but this was a message I hadn’t read before. The note was written just four months before she died and as I began to read, I could…

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Added by Robbie Miller Kaplan on March 17, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

Memorial Contributions

Q. My colleague’s wife died, and I can’t decide whether to make a contribution in her memory to my favorite charity or find out what the family’s preference would be. What’s your advice? Also, how much should I contribute?

A. Most bereaved will appreciate your thoughtfulness at a time like this, no matter what you do. But since this is about them, not you, I would always try to get the name of their preferred charity. This makes sense especially if your personal…

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Added by Florence Isaacs on March 17, 2009 at 11:30am — 1 Comment

SARROW

It was a normal day at my favorite uncles house and me and my older sister just got finished playing in the pool. All of a sudden, she got terribly sick so we quickly took her to the hospital. After we waited for hours, the doctor finally came out an dtold us the horrible news. My sister was dead. Before I could never see her again, I went to her room and said my last good-byes. I whispered in her ear and said, "I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR GOOD TIMES TOGERTHER AND I WILL KEEP YOU IN MY HEART… Continue

Added by deighzsa on March 16, 2009 at 10:43pm — No Comments

its getting harder

i lost my baby boy may 17 he was born to prematrue its coming up to his one year anaversey and every day seems to get harderi have a daughter to look after and i just found out im pregnant but im scared this baby is going to die im finding it hard to get close to my partner and my daughter but i dont no why please can someone tell me why

Added by faye moxham on March 15, 2009 at 10:42am — No Comments

When it comes to funerals, preparation is key

When it comes to doing the right thing, even I make mistakes. This week, I accompanied my daughter to a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was a beautiful tribute to her friend’s dad and extremely memorable, in more ways than one.

The two of us did plan; what to wear, where to make a donation, and what time we should leave. Since we live in the Washington, DC metro area and rush hour traffic is terrible, my daughter suggested we leave at 7 AM and take the…

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Added by Robbie Miller Kaplan on March 12, 2009 at 7:30am — No Comments

Who will care for my children if something happens to me?

If something happens to you while your children are young, who will care for them?

It takes time and energy to get your important records in order. Some of the most important—yet most difficult—steps are those regarding care for your minor children. The paperwork isn’t difficult, but the decisions may be hard. It’s hard to imagine your own death, especially while your children are young. It’s also hard to select a guardian; you can think of pros and cons to any choice.…

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Added by Melanie Cullen on March 10, 2009 at 10:30am — 8 Comments

Our Brother, Bobby

To everyone who knew, loved and cared for Bobby, we his immediate family, Thank You for your loving support in our time of need.

Our brother lead the life he wanted and was very happy. With everyone that we have been talking with in the last few days, we are overwhelmed with HOW much he was loved in the town of Zion, Il.

Our parents died a long time ago and we all had drifted apart, raising our own families and leading our lives but didn't ever forget where we came from.

It's… Continue

Added by Connie on March 9, 2009 at 4:00pm — 1 Comment

Suicide or Murder?

I have been seeking the truth about my son's suspicious death for almost 3 years!

My son, Joshua, was found dead in Amsler Park/McGregor, on February 16, 2006. McGregor PD did not investigate, did not follow police protocol, and after 2+ years of research on my own, teaching myself basic forensics, analyzing the crime scene photos, the dispatch logs, the autopsy, and the contradictory statements of the four officers, I am now 99% certain that my son did not commit suicide!

Support me… Continue

Added by Cynthia Robinson on March 9, 2009 at 9:34am — 5 Comments

Book Review: 'The Mercy Papers'

Robin Romm’s mother was diagnosed with cancer the summer after Robin’s freshman year in college. Nine years later, Robin quit her graduate program at Berkeley to stay home with her dying mother. In The Mercy Papers: A Memoir of Three Weeks, Romm recalls the end of her mother’s life, peppering the narrative with memories of earlier times – before her mother’s death was imminent.

“It seemed to me that most books sought to close the wound, hurry it shut. But death… Continue

Added by LegacyConnect on March 5, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments

Small investment pays big dividends

Months ago, I led a workshop on communications during difficult times. One participant shared that after a cousin’s spouse passed away, he and his wife had covered all the bases. They attended the funeral, sent a condolence note, and made a donation in memory of the deceased.

While acknowledging his thoughtfulness, I mentioned the importance of keeping in touch in the months following a death. A simple phone call to the bereaved can mean so much; just say hello and let…

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Added by Robbie Miller Kaplan on March 4, 2009 at 7:00am — No Comments

i lost my dad due to cancer

this isnt really easy for me to sit here and write about how im feeling right now about my dad passing on 2 weeks ago. all i can say is my heart is broken and torn into pieaces.

my dad was dignosed with cancer 2 years ago. when i found out that he had cancer i was

very upset and heartbroken at the same time i couldnt believe this is real.

i cry alot now and then cause i know how much my dad suffered from cancer.

even when we as my famliy had to put him into hospice that was… Continue

Added by michelle on March 3, 2009 at 6:15pm — 3 Comments