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MartyT

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  1. More food for thought, from my blog post, Pet Loss: How Long Before Adopting Another? Many people worry that getting another pet too soon after losing the one they loved so much is somehow an act of disloyalty to the one who died – but like everything else in grief, that is a very individual matter and varies widely from one person to the next. Some people are so full of love that they can always find another chamber in their hearts to accommodate another precious animal. My own father was such a person – whenever one of our beloved family pets died, he was the first one to suggest that we find another animal right away, to help heal our broken hearts. Some people discover that it's not so much that they go looking for another animal, but another animal just seems to find them. Still others find that it takes a very long time before they feel ready to adopt another animal. Grieving is hard work, and pets, especially young ones like puppies and kittens, take an enormous amount of energy, time, training and commitment. I suggest to bereaved animal lovers that, before they decide to bring another animal into their lives, they need to make sure that they are finished with whatever grief work they have left to do in mourning the loss of this pet who has died. Obviously any new pet deserves to be loved for itself, as a separate individual with its own unique personality, and not as a replacement for the one who was lost. Once all of that has been considered, it's important to recognize that there are some great benefits in deciding to get another pet. Loving and caring for an animal enables us to feel productive, useful and needed; to have someone to talk to and communicate with; to feel companionship and closeness with another, thereby feeling secure, protected, supported and not alone; to feel touched, both physically and emotionally; to engage more actively in life, as our animal depends on us for food, water, exercise and medical care; and to be motivated toward better care of ourselves, out of a sense of responsibility for our pet. I also believe very strongly that one of the most endearing things about our animals is that they just want us to be happy. If death takes them away from us, once we've expressed and worked through our sorrow over losing them, wouldn't they want us to be happy once again, and to open our hearts to other animals in need of all our love? We might think of getting another pet as a way of honoring the one we have lost. I'm reminded of a lovely piece I have posted on the Comfort for Grieving Animal Lovers page of my Grief Healing website: Not only is there always another good animal in need of a good home, but we must remember to be thankful for the time and love our animals give us while they are here. Take time to enjoy them and learn from them. As painful as it is to lose them, they teach us to love unselfishly, they teach us to live each day to the fullest, they teach us to grow old gracefully, and they teach us to die with dignity. We do them disrespect to focus only on the sorrow of their death when they have given us so much joy through their life. If we wish to honor them, take what they have given us, all that love, and give it back to another animal in need of help. ~ Kent C. Greenough
  2. For many bereaved animal lovers, part of our reluctance to adopt another dog is the fear that we will have to go through all this pain again, loving then losing lose another dog at some future point. I can tell you that the one sure way to avoid repeating the pain you're feeling now is to decide never to love like that again. Yet you know (in your head, if not your heart) that whenever we take a companion animal into our lives, sooner or later we are going to lose that animal, simply because their life span is so much shorter than our own. We like to think our animals will be with us forever, but deep down we know that cannot be. This reality is very hard for us to accept when we are confronted with the death of our cherished animals. It is far better to acknowledge that harsh reality when we opt to bring an animal into our lives in the first place. In addition, your sense of loyalty to your deceased dog might be interfering with your willingness to let yourself love another animal companion. Oftentimes we confuse loving another pet with "replacing" the one we've lost, and you may think that no other dog (or kitten) could replace your precious little one. It feels like an act of disloyalty, a violation of your dog's memory, an intrusion. After all, no other dog could ever be like the little one you lost. No other pup will have your little dog's unique qualities, nor should you expect it to. But instead of viewing another dog as a "replacement,” it may help to think of this as making a new friend, one that you will learn about and come to love over time. It's good to know that you are in therapy, but I wonder what would happen if you chose to confront those thoughts and emotions, and share those issues with your therapist?
  3. Hoping you'll find this helpful: Afraid to Love My Remaining Pets ❤️
  4. I'm a firm believer in learning all you can about what is normal in grief and what you might do to better manage your own reactions. If you're willing to do some reading about grief (and I mean YOUR grief: your reactions to the loss of this relationship) I can point you to a number of articles that you might find helpful. (Such reading will also help you to understand what your lady may be feeling and thinking in the wake of her father's death.) ❤️ See, for example, Bereavement: Doing The Work of Grief Grief: Understanding The Process Anxiety and Panic Attacks in Grief Tips for Coping with Sleeplessness in GriefUsing Writing to Help with Grief Using Writing to Help with Grief
  5. From the history you've described, it seems as if, over the course of your relationship, you two have had lots of experience "working through your issues" ~ so we can assume that your lady already knows how much work is required to do that with you now. Working one's way through grief takes enormous time and energy, which leaves precious little of either to devote to anything else. I hope you will take Kay's wise advice, and focus on YOU and whatever you need to get through this. For one thing, that means doing your best to stay in the present moment, by taking one day, one hour, one moment at a time. Don't torture yourself thinking about the future, whether it will include this person in your life or not. Focus instead on what you need to do right now to take good care of YOU. Plan specifically for what you can do this weekend, and force yourself to adhere to that plan. As Kay suggests,
  6. Clearly you are a responisble and caring animal lover and mother, so I've no doubt that whatever you decide, you will explain it to your sons in the most loving way. I don't think there is a right or wrong decision in this situation; I think what matters is how you handle it once the decision is made. That is, do what you can to make it be the "right" decision for you and your family. From what you've shared and based on your own experience, much as you love both dogs and Guinea pigs, they're not really safe together in the same household, and accidents do happen. Whatever you decide to do, just be honest with your sons, include them in your decision-making process, and explain it at their level of understanding. In any event, I think you've answered your own dilemma:
  7. The Men’s Grief Network® is a project of The National Widowers’ Organization to help men coping with the loss of a loved one. Read MGN blog, Dating blog, About Men’s Grief, Join a Webinar to learn more. February Webinar: Writing Through Bereavement Wednesday, February 28, 8:30 pm EST Writing is an excellent grief tool for a bereaved person. Join us for our next webinar with Dr. Robert Neimeyer. Register
  8. It seems to me that you've already made quite clear to your mother how you feel about the man she's chosen to be with. The hard reality here is that your mother is a grown woman, free to live her life and to make her own decisions, whether or not you approve of her choices. Think of how you would feel if your mother did't approve of the person you've chosen to be with, and if she insisted that you couldn't have him with you at family gatherings. You say that since you all live nearby, it's not like your mother is "alone or without people to be with" ~ but "hanging out" with her kids and grandkids in the role of mother and grandmother is not the same as being with her partner 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whose primary focus is on her and their relationship. Your mother has been a widow for eight years; we can only imagine how it feels to her to have the attention and companionship of another man in her life. You've already let your mother know how you feel about all of this, and for whatever reasons she's chosen to let this man stay with her anyway ~ so there's not much more that you can do without alienating her completely and cutting her out of your life. I encourage you to get some help with all of this by talking to a therapist or professional grief counselor, so that your own feelings about losing your dad and your current difficulties with your mother can be expressed, worked through and resolved. You may have no control over how your mother chooses to live her life in the wake of your father’s death, but with help you can find more effective ways to manage your own reactions and get on with your own life. Your community library or your local mental health association will have good grief counseling referral lists, or you can use the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory to call your local hospital or hospice. Ask to speak with the Bereavement Coordinator, Social Worker, or Chaplain's Office to get a local grief referral. I hope you will think of this as a gift you can give to yourself, and I hope you will follow through with it. ❤️
  9. Good for you! And thank you for sharing your experience with all of us. (We're all pulling for you!) ❤️
  10. My friend, you've suffered so many significant losses ~ the deaths of your father, your grandfather, your uncle and your mother, and then the end of your marriage ~ I certainly can understand how overwhelmed you must feel. You also have two children who are mourning these losses as well, and who may be looking to you, their dad, for comfort and support. All of this adds to the burden you are struggling to carry. Please know that we are thinking of you and supporting you as you work to find your way through this most difficult journey of grief. I hope you will avail yourself of all the resources that are available to you ~ all of which will serve to convince you that you are not alone. I'm a firm believer in learning all you can about what is normal in grief, so you'll have a better understanding of what you are thinking and feeling and a better handle on what you might do to manage your own reactions. As you come to know us here, you will find lots of reliable information as well as the support you need and deserve. To begin, let me point you to some readings that I'm hoping might help. Note that each of these articles lists links to additional related resources: In Grief: Coping with Multiple Losses Grief: Understanding The Process Bereavement: Doing The Work of Grief Finding GriefSupport That Is Right for You Supporting Children and Adolescents in Grief
  11. Scott, the thoughts you're having remind of this article: In Grief: Saying Goodbye to A Family Home ❤️
  12. And there's even room enough for your grandson! 😋
  13. Dear Daryle, I'm so sorry to learn of the death of your beloved momma, and my heart reaches out to you in your pain. Clearly you are a loving son whose devotion to your mother is obvious ~ even though your love and care were not enough to save her. I want to refer you to a piece that could have been written just for you, and I hope it will bring some comfort and understanding to your broken heart: Guilt In The Wake of A Parent's Death ~ and be sure to take a look at some of the many additional resources listed at the base. ❤️
  14. SAVE THE DATE: The International Day of Hope & Healing after Loss Conference 2023 Date: Monday, January 29 Time: 9:00am-2:00pm Pacific Time The International Day of Hope and Healing after Loss is a free online experience brought to you by the Open to Hope Foundation Please join us with experts in the field of grief and loss devoted to supporting the bereaved. Our mission is to provide an uplifting day of hope and healing to those grieving the loss of a loved one. Thanks in advance. We couldn’t do this without you! Register Today
  15. I just read an article that made me think of you: 'After my mum died, I couldn't find the support I needed, so I set up my own community' ❤️
  16. Although anxiety and panic attacks are not at all unusual in grief (see, for example, Anxiety and Panic Attacks in Grief and Coping with Anxiety and Panic Attacks in Grief) it's clear that you're still struggling. You've asked for my opinion on this, and as I indicated in my previous response to you, my dear, I think it's essential for you to find someone with whom you can share your concerns, especially since you're still feeling this way. A qualified grief counselor or therapist who specializes in traumatic loss can be most helpful in guiding you toward a better understanding of your reactions and what you might do to manage them. Struggling with anxiety all by yourself is difficult and unnecessary! Help is available, if you're willing to put forth the effort to find it! See Finding Grief Support That Is Right for You ~ including the related resources listed at the base. I encourage you to think of face-to-face grief counseling as a gift you can give yourself ~ and it can change your life for the better. ❤️
  17. It could be both, and I'm not sure if it makes any difference. You spent nearly half your life with Freckles ~ is it any wonder that you're missing her so much? Give yourself permission to mourn her death, and take as much time as you need. Should you ever decide to bring another kitty into your life, you will know if and when it is time. (See, for example, Pet Loss: How Long Before Adopting Another?) Your story is a reminder that some time after my beloved cockapoo Muffin was hit by a car and later died, I took a creative writing class. One of our assignments was to write about someone who meant a great deal to us. I asked our instructor whether that "someone" could be a pet, and although she thought it was unusual, she said okay. My essay was about Muffin ~ how he came into my life, how much he meant to me, and how his tragic death affected me. I wept as I read the piece out loud to my classmates. That essay later became the introduction to my book, The Final Farewell: Preparing for and Mourning the Loss of Your Pet, and the profound effect his death had on me eventually led to my becoming a grief counselor who also specializes in pet loss. ❤️
  18. Feb 2024 Eletter from Wings--A Grief Education Ministry Wings would like to hear your story and share it. Please send a brief paragraph. Due to the holidays, I have a short deadline. Submit your story before Jan. 12, 2024. Include your name, City/State. I will only print your first name. What do you think….Love That Brought You Together In February our hearts all turn to “love”. For those who are grieving, precious moments or thoughts will surface and become the anchor that helps us through Valentines’ Day. A time of remembering something very special that brought the two of you together. Wings would like to honor your relationship by sharing a glimpse of how you met or how you knew this person was the one for you. For some, it was love at first sight. For others, it was a “work in progress.” But that story of choosing each other is forever in your heart. And that is why we grieve so hard because we loved so deeply. For example. I met my husband, Gary, fresh out of high school, I felt a connection immediately (can’t say the same for him), but it took 3 years before we were ready to say “I do.” For the summer, he was working as a chef at a Pizzeria that I often went to with friends. We were introduced and felt the connection immediately. The day I walked down the aisle and took his hand, I knew it was a match made in heaven. Our relationship was beautiful and strong through many life challenges (55 years) but even moments before he died, he was able to tell me one more time, “ I will always love you.” Nan Zastrow nanwings1@gmail.com Nan & Gary Zastrow | Founders of: Wings--a Grief Education Ministry (1993) "As long as I LIVE, you will live. As long as I LIVE, you will be remembered. As long as I LIVE, you will be loved. I will say your names, tell your stories, and share my love for you both: Gary and Chad." Visit Wings on FACEBOOK website: wingsgrief.org
  19. Good heavens, Kay! How awful for you! Do you know if your neighbor's dog has been vaccinated against rabies? Have you had a tetanus shot within the last 5 years? I know it's hard for you (weather-wise) at this time of year, but I hope you'll make an appointment to see your healthcare provider ASAP. This is not something to be taken lightly. I'm so sorry this happened to you . . .
  20. It saddens me to think that you're in a job that brings you down so much. Is there nothing you can do to improve your work environment? No one at work who can advise, guide or support you in any way? See, for example, How to Handle a Lack of Support at Work. You might also consider giving yourself a few sessions with a qualified counselor or life coach ~ someone professionally trained to help you maximize your full potential and reach your desired results. And always remember that, as Eleanor Roosevelt wisely observed, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ❤️
  21. December Webinar: Handling The New Year As A Grieving Man Wednesday, December 27, 8:30 pm EST Individual, Joe Walko will discuss his experiences dealing with the holiday season after his wife died. In addition, grief and loss educator, Bill Hoy will discuss common challenges men face and will offer strategies and solutions to help cope. The workshop will conclude with 15 minutes for Q and A moderated by Ken Levy. Register Now Register Now
  22. You're Invited! Festival of Hope Virtual Gathering Engaging in family-focused holidays that are laced with memories of our loved ones can be really challenging. When our hearts hurt, connecting with our community provides a unique comfort. Soaring Spirits will be offering our Festival of Hope Virtual Gathering to provide an opportunity to honor our loved ones, immerse ourselves in the unique understanding of being with our community, and to share our wishes for each other in the year ahead. Join us on December 20th at 5:00PM for this community gathering. Your Soaring Spirits team will be there with holiday light and love. The event is FREE to attend, but you'll need to register to get the Zoom information. Register here. Save My Spot
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