Today's Guest Writer is Susan Alfano,
Editor of Nurse Barb's Daily Dose
It’s hard to lose a parent when they die. Old or young – what does it matter – they still brought you into the world and made you who you are.
For most of us it takes a while to process – it just doesn’t seem to make any sense.
This is a Story of Hope and Inspiration.
This is a true story, it happened to me and I love to share it every Christmas and I know many others who have shared it as a glimpse of hope for others & please if you feel so inclined share it with others.
It was December 24th 2008 exactly 10 months since our Alexandra ( Alex, Allie, Sweet Pea) was called to serve Jesus. I went to Christmas Eve Mass with my parents & my sister and her family ( unfortunately Kris did not make it as she had to work that day and her commute home was horrible ~ as usual).
Today's Featured Guest Writer is: Barbara Kate Repa, Author at Caring.com.
Practical Ways to Help to Ensure a "Good Death".
Poets, professors, priests, and plain folks all opine about what makes a "good death." In truth, deaths are nearly as unique as the lives that came before them -- shaped by the attitudes, physical conditions, medical treatments, and mix of people involved.
Today's Featured Guest Writer is Connie Matthiessen, Senior Editor at Caring.com
People often conceal the reality of death from young children in an effort to protect them from painful and frightening "adult" matters. In earlier times, grandparents and other relatives often passed away at home, cared for by the family, and children understood that death was part of the natural order of things. Today, the dying are often in hospitals and nursing homes, and many children have no concept of what it means to die. But experts agree that not talking about death, or dressing it up in euphemisms or platitudes, can confuse and frighten a young child.
Continue reading "8 Ways to Prepare Your Young Child for a Grandparent's Death " »
Today's Featured Guest Writer Is: Paula Spencer, Senior Editor at Caring.com
Regrets and Lessons From Grieving Survivors
Saying good-bye to a dying relative or friend -- what to talk about, when, and how -- doesn't come naturally to most adults. The irony: All such conversations ask of us, ultimately, is what people appreciate hearing at any time of life: words of candor, reassurance, and love.
Here, those who've been through the experience of saying good-bye share what felt right to them -- and what they wish they'd done differently.Continue reading "How to Say Good-bye When Someone You Love Is Dying " »
Our Guest Writer Today is Melody Chatelle, PhD, Author, and President of Chatelle and Associates
Journeys of Heartache and Grace – Conversations and Life Lessons from Young People with Serious Illnesses stems from author Melody Chatelle’s personal, one-on-one interviews with young people ages 6 – 20 living with life-threatening illnesses in amazingly strong, determined, and honest ways. All of the stories are powerful, practical and paint a hopeful portrait of times we all face involving serious illnesses of loved ones or ourselves. Dr. Chatelle offers suggestions from the stories including specific phrases on what to say and what not to say during tough times. Although taken from the perspective of young people, the strategies and lessons apply to people of all ages.
After waiting years to find the right person, I was
surprised and happy that at 44, my IVF cycle worked and that I was
pregnant. Then, you can imagine how
ecstatic I was to hear the news of twins. That joy
was multiplied when I saw
not one, but 2 beating hearts during an ultrasound and found out that I was
carrying a boy and a girl! Who could ask
for anything more! We decided to name the babies, Michael and Alyssa.
I knew that I would need monthly ultrasounds because of the twins, and wasn’t too concerned with the increased frequency. It was a great way to see the babies. It seemed that Michael’s head circumstance was much larger than his sister’s and getting larger at each appointment.
Every baby is different, and still I wasn’t buying into the fact that something could be dreadfully wrong. I was not given any clear answers during these appointments, the answers were kind of vague, so what could be so wrong, right?
