MartyT

Our deepest sympathy to you as you mourn the loss of your mother, my dear ~ and wishes for peace and comfort to your broken heart . . . ❤️

Thanks for the update, Marg. We are thinking of you and your daughter ~ hoping that Kelli feels better tomorrow. If no improvement is evident, I hope you'll raise some Cain with her doctor. Her symptoms (shaking, painful urination) may indicate a bladder infection ~ and that can be very serious indeed if left unattended . . .

We will keep you and your daughter in our thoughts and prayers, dear Marg. Do keep us posted on Kelli's surgery and the outcome, as you are free to do so ❤️

Your kind words are deeply appreciated, my dear, and from my heart to yours, thank you for sharing them with all of us here. I wish you comfort, peace and healing. Blessings to you ❤️

Invitation to participate in a survey on bereavement Our names are Claire White, Courtney Applewhite, and Ryan McKay. We are research psychologists at Royal Holloway, University of London and California State University, Northridge, and are carrying out a study on factors that affect adjustment to bereavement. One outcome of the study will be to inform bereavement practitioners and the public. To do this, we need the help of volunteers who are at least 18 years old and who have experienced the death of a loved-one within the past 24 months to complete an online questionnaire about their experiences. Religious diversity is encouraged. Should you decide to participate, you will be asked to fill out an online survey, accessed via an invitation link, which will include questions about the death of your loved-one, the circumstances of your loved-one’s death and your reaction to it. We appreciate that these questions are extremely sensitive and personal and that completing the survey may bring up difficult emotions. If you decide to take part you can omit any questions you do not wish to answer and may withdraw at any time, without having to give a reason, by pressing the exit button. The survey should take around 45 mins to complete. Your survey responses will be identified by alphanumeric code and will not be connected to your name or other identifying information. In other words, the survey is anonymous. The study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Royal Holloway, London REC ProjectID: 893. You can participate in the study by clicking on this link or copying it: Bereavement Survey (Links to an external site.) Please contact Claire White if you have any further questions: Claire White: Email: Claire.white@csun.eduTel: 818-677-5640. We would very much appreciate your participation because it will help us to further understand this sensitive but important area of research. Thank you for considering participating in the study, Claire White, Courtney Applewhite, and Ryan McKay

Thank you, dear Marg, for letting us know that you are safe. Stay that way, for us, okay?! ❤️

Gwen, my dear, I know that there is nothing I can say that will change your circumstances. What I can do is to let you know that we are here and we are listening. I know that you are in pain, and I wish with all my heart that I could make it stop. What I can do is to assure you that we care about you, that we take your concerns seriously, and that we are willing to let you share your pain with us. I hope you'll continue to let out all those painful feelings here with us, knowing that we will not run away. We will not leave you. We will not judge you for sharing with us how you feel, or rush to silence you, or try to fix what cannot be fixed. ❤️

What do you Think? Sometimes in grief, we don’t feel comfortable saying the things that are really in our hearts or thoughts at any given time. What would you like family, friends, or others to know about your grief? (example: I wish others knew that I’m embarrassed when I cry, but I just can’t help it. Grief still hurts.) Please include your name/city/state. Only your first name/city/state will be printed with your answer. Please respond before April 18th. -- Nan & Gary Zastrow nanwings1@gmail.com the Founders of: wingsgrief.org Wings--a Grief Education Ministry (1993) P.O. Box 1051, Wausau, WI 54401 Visit Wings on FACEBOOK website: wingsgrief.org

I'm so sorry this happened to you, my friend ~ but deeply grateful to you for sharing your story with everyone here. We wish you every happiness as you look toward better days ahead. ❤️

From all of us, dear Kay ~

Kay, I'm so sorry to learn this sad news about your sister Peggy. May she rest in eternal peace, and may perpetual light shine upon her. You are in our thoughts and prayers . . . ❤️

Dear Karen!

Hi Robbi. I don't know who "they" are, but I can tell you that, for many (if not most) of us, the second year of grief can seem harder than the first. By now all the initial shock and numbness have worn off, there's greater awareness of all you have lost since your mom died, and you're faced with the harsh reality that she is never coming back. You'll find links to many helpful and relevant resources here: Grief In the Second Year: Finding Your Way I too hope you will consider meeting with a qualified grief counselor ~ While that may not, as you say, make it hurt any less, it does give you a safe and private place to take your grief, minus any concerns that you are burdening another with your pain. The focus is on you and what you need. It can give you a different perspective, a better understanding of the grief process, and some individual insight into yourself and your own unique reactions to your loss. I'm a firm believer that a few sessions with a grief counselor can change your life for the better. You are worth it, and you deserve it. See Finding Grief Support That Is Right For You Note that both these articles list links to a number of additional related resources. ❤️

Voices of Experience: The Trouble with Triggers ❤️

Your grands are adorable, Kay! Thank you for sharing the photos with us ❤️

We're all thinking of you, dear Dee, and wishing you a successful surgery tomorrow and a speedy recovery! ❤️

Gentle reminder: See announcement above ❤️

I also consider my hair color to be "silver" instead of gray, Dee! And when I was in my 20's, I went for the frosted look, too. So today I'm okay with never having to color my hair again! (And my eyebrows are still their original color )

CLICK ON THE LINK TO READ THE LATEST ELETTER FROM WINGS FEBRUARY ELETTER Nan & Gary Zastrow nanwings1@gmail.com the Founders of: wingsgrief.org Wings--a Grief Education Ministry (1993) P.O. Box 1051, Wausau, WI 54401 Visit Wings on FACEBOOK website: wingsgrief.org

Without knowing anything about your history, I am reluctant to offer any advice ~ but I think in grief, it's always a good idea to consult your primary care physician to rule out any physical causes for your symptoms. That said, you may find this article helpful: Anxiety Attacks in Grief: Tools for Coping ❤️

Tuesday, Feb 15. We begin our 5 week ZOOMGRIEF series on How Grief Changes your Life. You can still register for this awesome New program to help you understand grief. The first step to healing is UNDERSTANDING! Register now: https://www.wingsgrief.org/ Wings-a Grief Education Ministry Nan & Gary Zastrow, Founders P.O. Box 1051 Wausau, WI 54402-1051 nanwings1@gmail.com 715-845-4159

Wishing you a successful surgery tomorrow, Karen. I had cataract surgery on both eyes a couple years ago ~ easiest surgery I've ever had, and I'm so glad I had it done! I hope you'll feel the same about yours. Do keep us posted, and know that we are thinking of you ♥

My dear, I don't know how to interpret the depression and despair that comes across in some of your posts, but I feel a need to acknowledge what you seem to be signaling ~ and if indeed you are contemplating suicide, I urge you to get the help you need and deserve. As I've stated in our Discussion Group Guidelines, We strongly recommend that our forums be used as a compliment or adjunct to traditional grief therapy or grief counseling. It also needs to be said that some people’s needs may exceed the capacity of an online message board to help. Sometimes grief can be so complicated that people get “stuck” in the process, and they need more help than we can give them in forums such as these. Individuals struggling with complicated grief are encouraged to seek the help of a professional therapist. Persons in danger of hurting themselves or someone else, those whose anger is out of control, or those whose grief does not diminish at all over an extended period of time, will not find what they need on this site, no matter how many messages they post. Therefore we urge such individuals to seek professional assistance at once, so they can get the help they so badly need and deserve. We believe that grief counseling and individual psychotherapy are among the most precious gifts we can choose to give to ourselves, and they can change our lives for the better. The site is not intended for individuals who are in crisis and actively contemplating suicide. If you're thinking of suicide, read this first. If you are experiencing serious suicidal thoughts that you cannot control, please stop now and telephone 911 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Using your smart phone, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.