Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kathy King Kates on April 23, 2011 at 7:27am

I am glad you were able to do this for yourself Suzanne. We have all had these times and places we needed to go and be with our loved ones and let out the "feelings". Good for you. I have a spare bedroom that I have always had decorated with mementos from my Bills youth (baby book, baby shoes, books, trophies, collages of birth to death pictures) and that is now my "quiet place". Bill chose his ashes to be scattered in our horse corrals out back of our property so "his room" feels right for me to be with him. My family is understanding that I don't use this room for others yet (when we have company I give them my bed and I sleep in "Bills room".) I am glad he did not "die" in this room but he had spent alot of time there because he had an old hospital bed there and his illness caused him to have difficulty sleeping flat). The last month, hospice had gotten him another hospital bed which was set up in our office on our ground level (he couldn't do the stairs and they wanted him with people and not "isolated" upstairs) so he died there instead. Now that room is back to "office" and the bad memories have disapated) as I changed it up abit. Sorry I got off on my situation Suzanne. I just meant to say I am so happy you found this place and time to be with your love. It is so comforting. Hugs to you.

Permalink Reply by Joann Vienneau on April 24, 2011 at 12:34am

Dear Suzanne,

      At the moment I have no where to go to just "talk" with Bill. I do it here in the house while I am in bed watching the seasons of HBO Dvd's that we are supposed to be watching together. I lay with his picture propped on the pillow  next to me and watch them, imagining his reaction to what is happening in the show. You see, we were supposed to watch all of these together, and there are lots!! We never got around to watching them, so now I am and hopefully he is with me. The burial hasn't happened yet, so when it does, I am hoping this will be a place I can go and still feel him with me,, just be with him even though it is going to be another heart wrenching day in this miserable thing we called life. It's only been a month, so I can't imagine making it to 15 months like you. I commend you for your strength and hope that I can be as strong.

Permalink Reply by Sheryl McCormick on April 25, 2011 at 6:31am

It sounds like you had that necessary time alone to grieve the loss of your husband.  I am glad you have had family willing to be with you through the last 15 months, but you are right we need our alone time too to grieve this significant loss.  You had to go through quite a bit to do that (taking the bus, walking, etc.).  That in itself is quite something.  I am glad it was precious time for you to grieve this loss.  The date, day of the week also is significant.  We do need that alone time though - I have a little picture that has this on it "Let us be silent that we may hear the whispers of God."  I believe that God is near to the brokenhearted and carries us in these times so we need to be alone with Him.  May you be blessed today and continue to find comfort as you work through these difficult feelings of loss and lonliness.

Sheryl

Permalink Reply by Christy on April 25, 2011 at 7:58am

Suzanne, that sounds like a serene way to spend your day with your loved one. Just beautiful. And a  long walk is never a bad idea if you can handle it physically; it gives you time to reflect & to meditate, or to have that heart to heart with your loved one or God or both. I am so glad to hear that you did that- you needed that, and how fitting that it was on Good Friday...

Thank you for sharing this with us~ Hugs, Christy

Permalink Reply by Connie on April 26, 2011 at 1:43pm

Suzanne,  I went to the cemetery by myself on Easter Sunday.  I needed to be away from everyone and to be with my husband by myself.  Sometimes, you just need to be together alone.  Friends and family are great to have with you but that time alone is very important too.  I have had a rough few weeks and I know the next few weeks are going to be very hard too.  On May 7th, our daughter will graduate from Kutztown University.  I know she is hurting very badly because her Dad is not going to be there.  What should be a day full of joy for her is going to be a day of hurting because he is not here.  I don't know how I am going to get through it.  May 8th is Mother's Day and my birthday - another hard day. May 11th our oldest daughter's birthday.  May 14th our youngest grandaughter will make her First Holy Communion and the 15th a graduation party for Ryeanne (college).  I need to have the party for her.  It is a very special time in her life.  I have not been feeling well.  I have an appointment on 6/1 at the NY Hospital for Special Surgeries for a consultation on my foot.  I am facing a partial amputation.  I have many other medical problems and I am just not feeling well.  May 9th will be 18 months since I lost my husband.  I am waiting to be with my husband.  I am actually looking forward to being with him.  Suzanne, I know where you are coming from.  I wish we were closer so that we could meet.  Please call me when you have time.  I am praying for you.  May God Bless You.

Permalink Reply by Suzanne on April 26, 2011 at 10:22pm

Hi Connie,

There are many days for you to go through, we can only take this road one day at a time.  I know how hard it is.  I myself have been despairing and despondent even though I tried outwardly to change, inside I am still the same.  I went to church meetings which led to a retreat (I don't know what came over me to say that I would go, but this is something that Danny at one time said he wanted to go to when we seen it on our church bulletin) and I went thinking he may have wanted me to go for the both of us.  Within a week later I had my hair lightened and permed.  I keep making these decisions without him but I still feel cheated out of his companionship, I don't care how adult or mature I'm doing independent of him.  I have been doing as you have, I think, deep in a quandry about a lack of direction and living without him, I feel I'm going insane even though to others I know they think I'm doing fine, but I'm not.  I also have my 8 year old grandson's 1st communion on May 1st and I'm babysitting he and his 1 and a half year old sister on June 18th.  I hate to admit this, but I'm just looking forward to getting past these days, because Danny isn't here with me and so I really know what you mean and I am so sorry for what you are going through too.  I also have medical and emotional issues and not feeling well, which is why I haven't called you but I promise I will when I'm feeling better.  I will keep praying for you and I am shocked about what you are facing and I had no idea, I always keep you in my daily prayers but I will especially pray for this situation about your foot and hope you don't have to have it done or for the strength to endure.  I am so sorry you are going through this alone and hope you have support from family and friends.  I can't imagine what you must be feeling.  I thought the tooth pain I was feeling was bad and that I had to wait 2 months just for my local dental center to just examine me, I didn't know how I was going to continue with this pain without anything to take, because my insurance doesn't cover fillings anymore, so I may have to have it extracted unless I can get approval for a filling (which is unlikely but I have to have some hope) and I thought Danny not being with me was bad enough.  Any time I am having difficulty I will give up this pain for you.  I know it's not much, but you are going through far worse and I just wish I could take your pain away.  I will call sometime soon and I will pray for you. 

God bless,

Suzanne

P. S. I really hope you have some kind of peace on your birthday and your family's special days.  I believe you need one another even though I know it's so hard.  Take care.