Before I gave birth to Hope, I had a miscarriage. The pain was so enormous, I had to write myself out of it. I kept a diary and did not feel entirely complete until Hope was born.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
My father's death, my move, and my frightening and difficult delivery created a tremendous amount of stress, pain, and sadness for me. I was practically devastated beyond recovery.
My wife had a miscarriage. We have rarely talked about it. It did make me more aware of the sanctity of human life, how precious every child is.
When I was pregnant, I felt filled with life, and I felt really happy. I ate well, and I slept well. I felt much more useful than I'd ever felt before.
Such is my experience - not that I ever mourned the loss of a child, but that I consider myself as lost!
From the moment my dad died, from the moment I found out there was the possibility of his dying, there were many surprises - years after, minutes after. The moments I was okay were as surprising as the ones that I wasn't. Making it through the eulogy without losing it. And then the guilt I felt about it. Surprise!
We all had lots of stories of our sad experiences - they mourned the death of my wife with me - but we were hopeful that the children would return.
I had a really scary pregnancy and a very difficult delivery. My daughter and I are lucky to be alive.
One night, I lay awake for hours, just terrified. When the dawn finally came up - the comfortable blue sky, the familiar world returning - I could think of no other way to express my relief than through poetry. I made a decision there and then that it was what I wanted to do. Every time I pulled a wishbone, it was what I asked for.
When I had to bury my child, I probably didn't start grieving until a year and a half later.
Thankfully, I have never experienced a miscarriage, but I have friends and family who have, and I've talked to them about their feelings.