The aim of this platform is to get grief spoken about in a less awkward and more open way, so I have reached out to some incredible people who all have a different story when it comes to grief, and have agreed to share it with the world through The Girl with Grief platform.
Meet Lauren
Lauren is wonderful person i have connected with via the online grief community. Yes its a little mad that there’s this group of people who have all connected over social media to talk about there dead parents/children/friends/siblings but its such a wonderful community and were all on the same mission to get grief spoken about in a more open and honest way.
Lauren shares her story:
Who have you lost?
My Mom
How old where you when they died?
I was 37 years old when my mom passed away and she was 57 years old. Too young.
What is their name?
Diana
How did they die?
My mom was diagnosed with Leukemia in May 2019 and passed away on December 13th, 2019.
Tell me about the moment you found out and the feelings that comes with it?
I was truly blessed to be with my mom when she passed away. My mom went into the Hospice House on a Tuesday evening and passed away early Friday morning. Those last few days can feel like a blur at times. Many of her friends, colleagues, and family were coming and going to pay their respects and show their love. Things changed quickly overnight, as my mom developed a high fever and her breathing was started to change. I was told by a dear friend that my mom needed to hear me tell her I was going to be okay. So, I started talking to my mom and telling her all the wonderful things I loved about her, how I was so proud to call her my mom, how much I loved her and how I was going to be okay. I kept telling her I wanted her to be at peace. And within moments, as I held her cold hands, she took her last breath. It was extremely painful having to tell her I would be okay, because I there was no way I would be. But I knew it’s what she needed to hear to leave this place peaceful. She was so worried about leaving me. We had a very special bond and close mother/daughter relationship. I consider it an honor that I was able to take care of her when was sick and was able to by her side when she passed away.
How do you think losing your loved one has changed you as a person?
It’s changed me completely. I am not the same person I was before my mom passed away. And I’m still trying to figure out this new person I am becoming. What I do know is that with everything that I do now, I do in honour of my mom. I have created a memorial award in honour of my mom, I have started a grief blog and a grief project called “Cards for Their Memory.” I want to make sure her life continues on. Pages keep turning in her book. Chapters are still written about her. Honouring my mom is my way of keeping her memory alive.
What is your happiest memory of them?
There is just so many to choose from as we spent a lot of our free time together. My mom was my best friend and we did so many things together. We loved to travel and we went on an Alaska cruise just a few months before she passed away. It was one place my mom always wanted to go to and we had the best time together. Although we couldn’t do a lot of exploring and excursions, it was the quality time spent together on the ship that makes it so memorable.
Any bits of advice you’d give to someone who is currently going through what you went through?
Allow yourself grace and be kind to yourself during your grief journey. There’s no right or wrong way to do things.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Grief will change you. It will take you down a path you never thought you would see yourself on. Don’t be afraid to embrace the change and the opportunities that come with it. Your loved one will be looking down on you and smiling so proudly.
Thank you so much for getting involved in this little project of mine Lauren, im glad that the internet brought us together so we can share memorys of our mom and allow them to never be forgotten. If anything there more know now then before because we like to tell people all around the world there name via the internet.
For anyone reading Laurens story, really take in that final bit of advice. Grief will change you but embrace it 🙂
The Girl with Grief 