I have not written much about my three miscarriages. In fact, back when I had my first one in 2002, I felt it was a source of shame and embarrassment. I thought it meant I was defective or something.
I didn’t really know anyone besides my sister and sister-in-law who had ever had one, and I had no place to turn to talk.
That is all changing now. In fact, this week, October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. There are now websites and blogs which talk about this very subject and give grieving mothers strength, hope, and most importantly, a place to turn.
What was still missing, though, was a comprehensive guide for the grieving mother. A fellow blogger who lost one of her twin daughters to Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, recognized this need; and the collaborative book Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Mother was born.
In this book, mothers (and some fathers) share their stories of miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, and child loss. They give words of advice and comfort and list resources that have helped them to move forward after their loss.
I am honored to be one of the contributors to this book, sharing my story of losing our precious Joey to cancer.
In my essay, “I Won’t Cry on the First Day of Kindergarten,” I talk about how I refuse to let the shock and sadness over Joey’s death destroy our family and taint his memory.
This book has 28 amazing authors, all mothers who have lost a child. The book is their gift to you; and from October 13th through October 17th, it is free to download on Kindle or through your Kindle App. After that, the price will go back up to $3.99. The print version will likely be released later this month for those of you without a Kindle.
Get your copy here at Amazon.com.
And most importantly, please spread the word to anyone you think may need this book – someone who is grieving in silence and needs to know she is not alone. Grieving the loss of a child can leave a person feeling so incredibly alone, but it doesn’t have to be that way.