by Amy Hillis (USA) | Mar 7, 2012 | Death and Dying, Health, Loss of Child, Motherhood, Parent Care, Parenting, World Motherhood
Being a mom is hard work.
Being a mom after one of your children has died is indescribable.
I thought the days that directly followed the passing of my eight month old son were difficult. But soon those days drifted into weeks. Those weeks quickly drifted into months. Here I am, over a year later, and it still feels like David’s passing was just yesterday.
I began to wonder if something was wrong with me. There are days I don’t want to get out of bed. There are days that I yell at my kids over silly things they have done. There are days when I feel alone, even when the house is full of people.
Well-meaning people around me thought I should be over it. That I should be beyond the grief that holds me hostage.
In part, I agreed.
Not that I would ever be over it, no one can ever “get over” the death of a child. But the grief that holds me (more…)
Amy is a native Chicagoan that currently resides just outside of Cincinnati, OH. A city girl, through and through, she’s still adjusting to small town life. Amy has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art with a minor in French from Elmhurst College. She was working on her Master’s degree at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, when she became pregnant with her 3rd child. Although this angel boy was only here for a very short time – he left quite a legacy.
Nathaniel was born with a rare genetic disorder called Citrullinemia. Amy and her husband, James, went on to have 4 more boys, 3 of whom were also born with Citrullinemia. In January 2011, her youngest son, David passed away from complications of a liver transplant performed to 'cure' the Citrullinemia. Now a stay-home mom of 5, she started blogging in October 2010, while David was still in the hospital. Two of her other sons have had successful liver transplants to cure their genetic disorders.
Her 2 older children still live in Chicago. When not hanging out with her kids, she spends her ‘me’ time writing, sewing, reading & walking. Amy also spends a generous amount of time online. She can be found on Twitter @transplantedx3. On Facebook and on her Website <a href="http://mytearstainedlife.com"My Tear-Stained Life
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by Susie Newday (Israel) | Jan 31, 2012 | Death and Dying, Israel, Life Lesson, Motherhood, Parenting, Susie Newday, World Motherhood
*Just a warning to those who find it hard to talk about death, this post uses the D word quite a bit. But the point it makes is really good food for thought.
I’m a planner.
Actually if I am truly honest, I am more of a slowly recovering control freak. I am the kind of person who even thinks about trying to control their own funeral. Yes, I know that is slightly twisted, but I guess my ability to laugh at the funny parts of death (and yes, you can find humor in death) is what has kept me sane after years of ER and oncology nursing.
So it should come as no surprise that for years I have been thinking about writing “goodbye letters.” You know, the ones I am talking about. The ones that get opened if you walk out of your house one day to go to work and end up never coming back.
Those personalized heartfelt letters written to your loved ones telling them what you loved about them, what they meant to you and what you wish for them for the future now that you’re not there in person anymore to tell them.
Yet something has been holding me back. (more…)
Susie Newday is a happily-married American-born Israeli mother of five. She is an oncology nurse, blogger and avid amateur photographer.
Most importantly, Susie is a happily married mother of five amazing kids from age 8-24 and soon to be a mother in law. (Which also makes her a chef, maid, tutor, chauffeur, launderer...) Susie's blog, New Day, New Lesson, is her attempt to help others and herself view the lessons life hands all of us in a positive light. She will also be the first to admit that blogging is great free therapy as well. Susie's hope for the world? Increasing kindness, tolerance and love.
You can also follow her Facebook page New Day, New Lesson where she posts her unique photos with quotes as well as gift ideas.
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by Ms. V. (South Korea) | Dec 28, 2011 | Death and Dying, Japan, Motherhood, World Motherhood
Someone very dear to me lost their child this past Thanksgiving. The aching in my heart for this mother and her family is constant and intense, and yet I know that it cannot compare to the heartache my dear friend must be feeling.
If it were anyone else, I would be surprised by the strength and grace with which my friend is handling this loss, but with her I am not surprised. She is the embodiment of spirit, awareness, strength and dignity to which I aspire. She is who I want to be when I grow up. Even in her grief her heart remains open.
When I first heard the news, I experienced the usual emotions; shock and disbelief, sadness and anger. Almost immediately after my only thoughts were: I would die if I lost my child. This could happen to me. This can never happen. What can I do to make sure this never happens? And then the unsettling answer: Nothing. (more…)
Ms. V returned from a 3-year stint in Seoul, South Korea and is now living in the US in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her partner, their two kids, three ferocious felines, and a dog named Avon Barksdale. She grew up all over the US, mostly along the east coast, but lived in New York City longer than anywhere else, so considers NYC “home.” Her love of travel has taken her all over the world and to all but four of the 50 states.
Ms. V is contemplative and sacred activist, exploring the intersection of yoga, new monasticism, feminism and social change. She is the co-director and co-founder of Samdhana-Karana Yoga: A Healing Arts Center, a non-profit yoga studio and the spiritual director for Hab Community. While not marveling at her beautiful children, she enjoys reading, cooking, and has dreams of one day sleeping again.
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by Mama B (Saudi Arabia) | Sep 8, 2011 | Death and Dying, Inspirational, Life Lesson, Motherhood, Saudi Arabia
How do you talk about death to children? It is one thing to talk about it in the abstract, but a whole other thing when you have to tell them someone they know and love died.
I remember my first true experience with death. I was maybe around 9 years old. I was at school one day sitting in the middle row of desks. I turned and saw that one of my closest friends had turned red and was shaking in her seat.
She fell to the ground, some of the children around her got up to see if she was ok, and I just stood there. (more…)
Mama B’s a young mother of four beautiful children who leave her speechless in both, good ways and bad. She has been married for 9 years and has lived in London twice in her life. The first time was before marriage (for 4 years) and then again after marriage and kid number 2 (for almost 2 years). She is settled now in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (or as settled as one can be while renovating a house).
Mama B loves writing and has been doing it since she could pick up a crayon. Then, for reasons beyond her comprehension, she did not study to become a writer, but instead took graphic design courses. Mama B writes about the challenges of raising children in this world, as it is, who are happy, confident, self reliant and productive without driving them (or herself) insane in the process.
Mama B also sheds some light on the life of Saudi, Muslim children but does not claim to be the voice of all mothers or children in Saudi. Just her little "tribe." She has a huge, beautiful, loving family of brothers and sisters that make her feel like she wants to give her kids a huge, loving family of brothers and sisters, but then is snapped out of it by one of her three monkeys screaming “Ya Maamaa” (Ya being the arabic word for ‘hey’). You can find Mama B writing at her blog, Ya Maamaa . She's also on Twitter @YaMaamaa.
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Being a mom is hard work.
