Check Out This Wonderful Blog

Have been very interested in this blog and the wonderful, thoughtful lady that has developed it to help others in their time of grief, This site is a wealth of knowledge and should be read by all who have suffered a loss or are grieving and looking for help
http://www.familygrieving.com

MISS Foundation/ Check them out !!

This is a foundation of Angels, When I met the Founder Dr. Joanne Cacciatore 7 yrs ago at a memorial candle ceremony, I felt like there were others who understood!,Such a warm and caring person, Truly a marvelous Women, Please let me share this wonderful organization with you....

The MISS Foundation is a 501 (c) 3, volunteer based organization committed to providing crisis support and long term aid to families after the death of a child from any cause. MISS also participates in legislative and advocacy issues, community engagement and volunteerism, and culturally competent, multidisciplinary, education opportunities.

A Message from Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, Founder

Welcome to the MISS Foundation's online support site. If you are a family member experiencing the death of a child, we extend our deepest empathy. There simply are not words to express the depth of the sorrow...we are here to share the pain and we want you to know that we will walk with you.

There is so much to learn and see in the MISS Foundation website. In addition to the online support site, we also have face-to-face support groups in certain areas. The "Families" section contains current and back issues of our award-winning newsletter, MISSing Angels, as well as our online support groups, a place to find face-to-face support or information on beginning your own MISS Foundation Support Chapter, and even a downloadable funeral planner.

The online "Forums" contain 27 online support groups with thousands of members and we welcome you to join our online community.

In our professionals section,there is information on our workshops and speakers available to present in your facility about many topics relating to child death.

And there is so much more information contained in our pages...take your time and browse. Feel free to ask questions and know that there is no greater tragedy than the death of a child. You do not walk alone.

Joanne Cacciatore, PhD, MSW, FT

About MISS

More than 120,000 children die every year in the United States. Of those, more than 80% die before their first birthday...
The MISS Foundation is a nonprofit corporation committed to helping families discover hope and eventually heal from the trauma of a child's death.

More information on the MISS Foundation visit our information packet link:
http://www.missfoundation.org/news/mediakit/index.html

Vision

That our programs will serve to strengthen families and communities when a child has died, and that through education and research, we will help to reduce the number of child deaths. No family should have to endure the pain of a child family member's death alone: The MISS Foundation is committed to building interdisciplinary communities that provide long-term support to families after a child's death. We are committed to the memory of the children who lived, who died, and who continue- even in death- to matter.


"A community of sorrow is the strongest community of all."

Memorial Donations

You may make a memorial donation in memory of a child. Acknowledgements will be listed in the MISSing Angels Newsletter and acknowledgement memorial cards sent. The monies will be used for our Emergency Services program, which provides free literature, books, and support group brochures to families who have experienced the death of their child. You can sponsor an entire Emergency Packet. We will also include a Kindness Project card signed in honor of your child or grandchild.

Memorial Donations or Emergency Packet Sponsors can send their gift to:

MISS Foundation- Memorial Donations
P.O. Box 5333
Peoria, Arizona 85385-5333

Or Donate Online

All donations are tax deductible

To contact the MISS Foundation:

International Office
1.623.979.1000
1.623.979.1001 fax

Toll Free in the U.S.
888 455-MISS (6477)

Written inquiries:
PO Box 5333
Peoria, Arizona 85385-5333

Email:
info@missfoundation.org

Support as you Grieve

Sometimes a loss is just too much to bear on our own. There are some things in life that we are simply ill-equipped to deal with. Losing someone who is extremely close to us, such as a child, spouse, parent, or sibling, can literally push us to the brink. And, unfortunately, those that remain behind are not always able to help us deal with the grieving process. As much as they may want to help and support, if they haven’t experienced the loss as well they may not know how to meet your needs.

It is circumstances like this that require some outside assistance. While many people feel that there is a negative stigma attached to reaching out for professional help, there is no truth to that myth, especially in cases of grief. When you have lost someone close to you, there is no reason why you should be able to simply “snap out of it” on your own. However, if you are going to be able to move forward and rebuild your life it is important that you seek out help when the pain becomes too much for you to handle on your own.

There are a number of ways to get outside assistance. If you would feel more comfortable talking with a grief counselor or other mental health professional about your individual feelings and circumstances, often times churches or doctors’ offices can recommend good resources. Some people feel more comfortable confiding in a single person. However, there are a lot of benefits to be gained from being a part of a support group. Meeting and talking with people who have faced similar losses can help you to feel as though you are not alone and connect with people who can truly say that they understand what you are going through. Support groups can take place virtually on the internet, or they can meet in person in community centers and local churches. Again, your doctor or church may have information about the groups in your area. Also, an internet search can help you find where these support groups are meeting locally

Organ Donation: Myth vs. Reality

I hope these previous articles on grief and trauma have helped all who have read them, I also have gone through this period and have tried to share some of these enlightening thought with you...........
There are more than 95,000 people on the organ transplant waiting list in the United States alone. This may not be the most comfortable discussion, but it is necessary to decide whether you want to donate the organs of your loved one or not. You may even want to make the decision to donate before the time of death. Making this decision is of monumental importance and could change the lives of those in need as well as their loved ones.

Here we will outline some of the myths surrounding organ donation that prevent many people from signing up to become an organ donor when the time comes.

Myth: The number one myth has got to be that people truly believe if they are organ donors, the hospital and emergency staff will not work as hard to save them.

Reality: This is simply not true. Dr.'s take a Hippocratic Oath to do what ever is possible to save any person that they treat. They will be working to save YOUR life, not someone else’s.

Myth: My loved ones will be charged a fee for organ donation.

Reality: No, they will not be charged a single penny. This one ranks at about a ten on the ridiculous scale. People who are on the waiting list are dying and the organs are more than greatly appreciated, free of charge.

Myth: My loved one has suffered greatly through an illness or tragedy and I don't want them to suffer any more.

Reality: This is a big one; your loved one is dead and they feel no pain. In fact, your loved one's death will be giving life to someone else and preventing another group of people from going through what you are going through right now. What greater way is there to memorialize your loved one than with the gift of life to another?

Losing a Child

Having had to live thru this My self,Thought this may help others also.....

Often times those grieving the loss of a child, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, disease, or accident, have incredible emotional hurdles to overcome. All loss is painful, but the pain of losing a child can be especially brutal because the grief is not just for the loss but also for the loss of the future that the child was meant to have. It can be extremely difficult for parents to heal, as every time a special occasion comes around the thoughts go back to the child who would have reached the new milestone and who is missing from the family.

There are ways, however, to process the grief. The most important thing to remember is that healing takes time, and while your life will never be the same there will come a time when you are able to stand on your own two feet again. Also, recognize that although your life has changed you do have some control over where it goes from here. You can choose what path to follow next. Realize that it won’t help your grief to ignore the life of your child. Talk about your child and the gift that he or she was. Honor your child’s life and memory.

Those who have lost a child should consider getting some therapy. It is an intense experience and can be difficult to struggle through on your own. It is normal to experience feelings of intense guilt, as well as sadness, and these powerful emotions can be overwhelming. Therapy can be very useful for couples, who will experience the grieving process differently even as they are grieving the same loss. Therapy can help you understand these differences and avoid conflict in your relationship. Remember too to take stock of your own health and the well-being of the rest of your family, as they will still need you too. Have patience with yourself and with your spouse, and ask for help when you need it.

Courtesy of familygrieving.com

5 Stages of Grief

The Kübler-Ross model describes in detail five stages of the grief process. These stages especially apply when the death was or will be related to a terminal illness.

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, in her 1969 book "On Death and Dying", describes these five discrete stages as the process that one goes through when dealing with traumatic loss. These stages are not exclusive to death, but also include divorce and loss of freedom or income, any form of traumatic loss. For our purposes we will outline the five stages of the Kübler-Ross model as it applies to grieving due to terminal illness and/or death.

1. Denial: This is the initial stage when we are first presented with the news of a death. Even if death was inevitable due to illness or age, we still feel that it can not be happening.

2. Anger: Anger almost always follows Denial; it is an essential part of the process. Without going through the feelings of anger on the surface, we could not get deeper into the emotional complexities of grieving.

3. Bargaining: This is a stage that only some people go through and only in some instances. Bargaining is basically the bartering of your own life, soul or material goods in exchange for the continued life of a person or to end the suffering of those left behind to deal with the grieving process.

4. Depression: In this stage many people find that they are in good company, so to speak. Almost everyone dealing with grief goes through this stage. It is hard and virtually impossible at times to move on, at least for awhile and this is just simply depressing.

5. Acceptance: This stage is actually a process in and of itself. It takes time to reach this point and no one person reaches it in the same amount of time. This is truly the definition of "time heals all things". We do not forget the person, but we are now sure that we can go on.