Child loss

Jessica and Sophie outside the door - Jessica in her school uniform and Sophie in her preschool jumper

Grief and life after Jessica: The school run

Here I am again – back to doing the school run. Dropping a little girl off at a reception classroom once more. How different it all is second time around.…

Forget-me-nots

Grief and life after Jessica: Counselling – who is it for?

I’ve been told a few times since Jessica died that I need to have counselling. I’m sure the people who tell me this mean well, but it leaves me wondering…

Hubby, me, Sophie and Thomas with a picture of Jessica and her birthday cake at her forever bed

Remembering Jessica: a special birthday picnic

Jessica’s birthday was always such a milestone moment. As well as being her birthday, it was also one of her heart days – the anniversary of her first open heart…

Jessica sitting in the Temple restaurant at Chessington

Forever six

Darling Jessica,   Tomorrow is your seventh birthday. You should be getting excited about it, looking forward to your cards and presents, telling me what cake you want. But you’re…

Jessica sitting on top of a tree stump

Grief and life after Jessica: the fear of moving forward

Grief is a funny thing. There are times when I feel like I am drowning in the stormy sea of grief and times when the waves calm and I find…

Jessica wearing a princess dress and fairy wings, looking over a lake

Grief and life after Jessica: Some days you feel so far away

Some days you feel so far away. I look for signs that you are still here with me somehow and there are none. Just emptiness.   I long for you…

Jessica on Daddy's back, giving him a big cuddle

Grieving dads matter too

So much of what I read about child bereavement focuses on grieving mothers. I read things like “there is no pain greater than that of a grieving mother” and while…

Me in silhouette looking out of the window

Grief and life after Jessica: How are you?

“How are you?” Such a natural question and so difficult to answer at times. I have my standard responses now. I’m ok. Surviving. Up and down. Taking it moment by…

Sophie and Jessica asleep in a big bed together

Grief and life after Jessica: in dreams

Last night I dreamed about Jessica. She was wearing a hand-knitted green and white cardigan that she’d had as a toddler, although in my dream she was the age she…

Sophie pushing Jessica in her buggy

A terrible freedom – life after the loss of a child with a disability

If you’d asked me to describe our daily life with Jessica, I would have said it was pretty normal. All the things that came with having a child with a…