I had a conversation with an acquaintance the other day which went something like this: Them: “You look miserable today, what’s the matter?” Me: “Jessica’s dead.” Them: “Oh, is that all?” Me: Them: Me: “Yes, that’s all.” That’s all. Just a trivial thing really. Living with the suffocating weight of grief. Enduring life… Read More
“How do I survive this?!” It’s a question I’ve screamed out many times over the past year. In those moments when I am blinded by tears, overwhelmed and broken by the pain of life without Jessica, I wonder how on earth I can possibly keep going on. And yet I do. Here I am, almost… Read More
The one phrase I probably use most often to describe Jessica is ‘joy-carrier’. She truly was a little ray of sunshine – full of big smiles and spreading happiness wherever she went. Even when she was in hospital, she still managed to give those beautiful smiles. Her strength and sweet nature inspired me then and… Read More
Jessica’s forever bed is in a beautiful woodland burial site. As the surroundings are all very natural, there are quite strict restrictions about memorials and what can be placed at grave sites. We can leave cut flowers on her grave as long as there is no wrapping on them and we are allowed to have… Read More
Dealing with someone else’s grief is something that many people are uncomfortable with, especially when it comes to child loss. Many people don’t really know what to say, or to do. As a bereaved parent, I’ve been on the receiving end of a whole range of comments and reactions. Some of them are helpful, some… Read More
One of my favourite quotes as a heart parent was this one: “Having a child with a life-threatening condition changes you. It brings out strength in you that you never knew you had, it makes you appreciate the little things in life, it makes you fear that every memory you make together may be your… Read More
Nearly every week on my blog, I share a post called “The Friday Focus”. It’s a post where I sum up the past week in one word and reflect on the things that made me smile. I see a lot of posts on social media about choosing a word for the year. Something that… Read More