Share of Northeast Louisiana Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc.: December 2008

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the new blog site for Share of Northeast Louisiana. Share is a support group for parents who have suffered the heartbreaking loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death or during the first few months of life. We are a chapter of National Share that has been supporting families for over thirty years.My name is Colleen Howard. I started the local chapter of this wonderful organization in 2002. Since then several parents and a grandparent who attend the meetings helped make it possible for our small group to grow and do things I never dreamed possible. We held our first Annual Walk for Remembrance and Hope in 2007. Although small, it turned out to be a day that is etched into our hearts forever. In the same year we became incorporated and aquired non-profit status. In doing so, it opened doors for our group to fulfill even more goals. Share of Northeast Louisiana holds meetings at least once a month. Parents, grandparents and other family members or friends (excluding children) are welcomed by other bereaved parents. Here we are able to share our grief and find a support system so that parents can deal with their loss. I know firsthand and from working with others that it makes a profound difference when hearts open and heal with the help of those who truly understand. Our group also provides grief packets to area hospitals, women's clinics and funeral homes so that bereaved parents are immediately made aware of our support group. We never want a parent to need support and not know where to turn. If you or someone you know has lost a baby and would like to talk to one of our members or attend our meetings, please email me at ColleenH38@aol.com. Our meetings are held on the second Monday of each month but we are available at other times as well. Colleen

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Please Be Gentle

This morning while reading a blog about a couple who lost their ten week old son to SIDS, I came across this poem and wanted to share it with others.

Please Be Gentle
By Jill B. Englar

Please be gentle with me for I am grieving.
The sea I swim in is a lonely one and the shore seems miles away.
Waves of despair numb my soul as I struggle through each day.
My heart is heavy with sorrow.
I want to shout and scream and repeatedly ask 'why?'
At times, my grief overwhelms me and I weep bitterly,so great is my loss.
Please don’t turn away or tell me to move on with my life.
I must embrace my pain before I can begin to heal.
Companion me through tears and sit with me in loving silence.
Honor where I am in my journey,not where you think I should be.
Listen patiently to my story,I may need to tell it over and over again.
It’s how I begin to grasp the enormity of my loss.
Nurture me through the weeks and months ahead.
Forgive me when I seem distant and inconsolable.
A small flame still burns within my heart,and shared memories may trigger both laughter and tears.
I need your support and understanding.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve.
I must find my own path.
Please, will you walk beside me?

Friday, December 12, 2008

Christmas after the loss of your baby

Christmas is less than two weeks away and I have been thinking of all the parents who have come into my life since I started the local chapter of Share. Some have faced many holiday seasons since their baby died and for others, this is their first.

Many parents find it helpful to include their baby in their Christmas celebrations. Whether you do it quietly or make others aware, is your decision. Do what feels right and helpful for you.

Some ideas for including your precious baby:

1. Hanging a special ornament on your tree.
2. Lighting a candle and having a moment of silence and/or prayer.
3. Giving a gift to a needy child in memory of your baby.
4. Giving to a charity in memory of your baby.
5. Hang a stocking for your baby and write messages of love to him/her. If you have other children, it can be healing for them to do the same.
6. Take a small decorated Christmas tree, wreath or flowers to your baby's grave.

I wish each of you a Christmas filled with love, hope and peace.

Love,
Colleen

Monday, December 8, 2008

Our Annual Share Christmas Party

Our Share group held its annual Christmas party last week. It's hard to believe that it's the fourth one with several in the group. We truly are a family and it is so nice to spend holidays with these remarkable women. I hope everyone enjoyed our time together as much as I did.

Colleen

Audrey Caroline ~ Bring On The Rain

Below you will find a video and the link to the blog "Bring The Rain". I want to explain its reason for being on our blog. Neither of these are part of our group but mean so much to me that I want to share them. The story of Audrey is so touching and the video is so remarkable that I get chills no matter how often I watch it. If you log onto Bring the Rain, you can read about precious Audrey and I feel certain you too will fall in love with her and her awesome family. Angie and Todd knew before Audrey's birth that her life here on earth would be very short. Their strength and faith allowed them to do things regarding her I only wish I could have with my own baby. I will advise you to grab the Kleenex before you watch the video. It is one of the most heartbreaking yet most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. Also, you will need to click the stop button on our playlist at the bottom so that you can hear the music on the video.

Share of Northeast Louisiana Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc.