I Am A Griever

Grief, Breastfeeding, and Care

In this essay, I share a bit about my story of grief and breastfeeding. I also share some thoughts about the cultural grief some people are carrying about the lack of support afforded to lactating families whose goal it is to feed their baby from their body. I use some gendered language throughout this essay…

Joyce – Mothers supporting mothers in grief

Joyce talks about the value of a support network of other mothers who have lost

Kate – My story

Kate tells her story of being away when her brother died of an opioid overdose

Kate – Time to process

Kate shares about time and processing her grief especially during COVID

The ties that bind; grieving the loss of a sibling

When my three brothers and I were growing up and the proverbial hit the fan, Mum would often say, in a bid to keep her brood calm, ‘Well, at least we are all still here.’ She reminded me of this affectionate saying only very recently. I can still recall how I felt as a child…

Adam – Things that are OK to do

Adam talks about things he does to cope with grief like singing and crying

Joyce – Beliefs

Joyce talks about her belief system after her son died

Jim – When should you seek help

Jim talks about when you should seek help for mental health. How it can be difficult to ask for help, especially for men and for people in certain professions, such as law enforcement and the military. But if you are struggling, it is important to reach out for support

John – Dating again

John talks about being asked by his daughters if he would ever date again

Betsy – Adoption and grief

Betsy tell her story of losing her adopted son to cancer

Nicole – Power of Speaking About Lost Ones

Nicole discusses the importance of sharing memories of those lost to drug poisoning and speaking their names.