Life after babyloss – in 2007 life changed forever. My baby boy, who was three days old , needed heart surgery to save his life. He had already had surgery when he was 6 hours old and he had been heavily medicated since then.
The surgery was meant to be straight-forward but it was heart surgery on a tiny 3 day old baby, how straight-forward could it be?
We went into intensive care early in the morning to see our tiny new boy and to speak to his surgical team. Due to the wires and equipment, I wasn’t able to cuddle him but I said my goodbyes. He opened his eyes and he smiled at me, despite his nurse saying he shouldn’t be able to be that responsive because of his meds. This was the last time I saw him alive and it’s a brief moment that will stay with me forever.
Life after babyloss – living a happy life
Life after losing a baby has been a challenge in so many ways, it’s hard to put it all into words.
In the beginning it was just getting up and getting through the day. Panic was never far away and I still remember those first few seconds of every morning when everything was fine until I remembered he was gone.
I have tried to parent well, as well as I can, and I have two amazing children, so I think I did ok. They had to see me cry and struggle to keep it together, they kept me sane and busy. And gradually the grief became bearable, gradually I cried less and I grew stronger.
I have had to learn to live with anxiety and panic, I have had tremendous therapy, I have effective coping strategies, I have had to accept these changes because they aren’t going anywhere. Grief and trauma changed me but it also made me stronger and fiercer.
The woman I am now will always be a bit broken – the pain of losing my child will never leave me and I will always miss him – but I have come out the other side as strong, feisty, focused, capable, calm, happy and compassionate. I am also determined to live life well, to make life matter and to enjoy life – this is my boy’s legacy.
Working with parents since 2002
Copyright: Janine Smith