Posted by dandelion on November 21, 2003, at 15:37:00
In reply to helping children thru the loss, posted by julie_ann_2003 on November 20, 2003, at 9:16:24
My dad passed away one year ago this coming Sunday. It too, was extremely sudden. At the time, I was still living with my parents, though I was 24, not a real youngster, but i guess i still qualify as a child dealing with loss. I woke up at 3:30am to a SLAM on the floor upstairs. thus far, this is what i have the most difficulty dealing with. The actual EVENT of him dying of a massive heart attack. Me running upstairs, seeing him lying on the floor in his pj's, my mother absolutely hysterical, the dog barking....and somehow my legs making it to the nightstand where the phone was. somehow picking it up and calling 911. then on my knees, attempting CPR. hearing his shallow breathing and seeing the life slowing seeping from his eyes. he had his hand on my leg. i wish i could know for certain that he knew we were with him.
my therapist told me the other day that this must have been "traumatic". for some reason, i'd never thought of it that way, but it felt right. His birthday was on nov. 4th. he would have been 61. Your idea of writing letters and sending them off on balloons towards heaven must have been really special to your children. I bought dad a birthday card, but have yet to write in it. I hadn't known what i would do with it; it crossed my mind to bury it with him (he was cremated and his ashes remain in the urn in my mother's bedroom), when we finally get around to it. But I felt like it wouldn't reach him then. thank you for your inspiration; God Bless you and your children....
poster:dandelion
thread:281605
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/grief/20030903/msgs/282178.html