grief
Losing a family member is one of the most traumatic life events; Families must support one another to endure the five stages of grief and get through it together.
Losing Someone You Love Unexpectedly
December 8, 2016 I woke up in my room by hearing my mom's cellphone ringing in her room. I laid still, listening to her talk to my uncle about something that would change our family forever. I heard her get out of bed and walk into my room to tell me my grandpa had fallen and hit his head so bad that he had to be transported to our hospital from his so they could do a platelet transplant. I instantly got this sick feeling in my stomach that this would be the fall that would take him away from us. I got up and reluctantly got ready for school. Third period came around when the speaker came on asking for me to be dismissed. I met my mom at the back of campus and we rushed to the hospital, the entire time I had no clue what was going on. When we arrived to the hospital I walked to the ICU with my mom to be greeted by our pastor, my godmother, grandmother, and a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon explained to us that there was bleeding on my grandpa's brain and that he needed to have surgery as soon as possible. We called the rest of the family and by 11 PM everyone was there. We all shuffled into his room, three at a time, to tell him we loved him and good luck. The first surgery was successful, it was the days that followed that were a nightmare.
By Abigail Sikora6 years ago in Families
Only God Knows Why
On this day, the trees were changing from that nasty greenish brown color to the beautiful autumn orangey yellow color. There were freshly carved pumpkins sitting outside the doors of the houses. The air was just warm enough for a long-sleeve shirt and jeans, but too cold for a t-shirt and shorts. In the house lingered the smell of fresh apple pie my mother made. That morning I woke up and thought it was going to be a normal day where I would be driven to school, sit through about 8 boring hours of Mrs. Walker's third grade class, then get picked up and go home. Needless to say, I was not expecting that this day, October 3rd, 2003, would be the day my whole world flipped upside down.
By Tiffany Tushkowski6 years ago in Families
The Loss
Losing sucks. But losing "someone" in your life is a different story. We have all lost a soccer game or a game of monopoly with friends, but losing a loved one is hard, especially at fifteen years old. This story is a true story about how I lost my dad. It will make you laugh and cry.
By Olympia Pav6 years ago in Families
Advice From a Motherless Daughter
I'll never forget the day I was in the hospital room as my mother's doctor explained to her the severity of her cancer diagnosis as well as the very small odds of surviving such an intense and advanced form. I was only 17 and my mother was only 42. By looking at my mother, how much effort she put into everyday and raising six children, you would have never guessed she was sick. In fact, I think she was surprised as she only went to the doctor with a pain in her right side. It was colon cancer, stage IV, that had spread to her liver. The doctors seemed genuinely surprised as colon cancer is usually found in older patients. But, no matter how rare the situation, my mother was one of the unlucky few and I knew I was probably going to lose my mother and soon. My mother passed away a year later, shortly after my senior graduation and suddenly, the world turned into an unfamiliar place, one I didn't know if I would ever come to terms with. I'm going to start this with my advice to those who have lost their mothers and then to those who have not. I feel like both sides are equally important and may, hopefully, be helpful to someone.
By Kasey Gilbert6 years ago in Families
The Phone Call I Dreaded Answering
"So, How Are You?" Oh shit, is it 1 am already? Mom usually gets home around now after visiting Bibi (my grandma) and she will probably kill me if she knew I stayed up this long but hey, this essay isn't gonna write itself! Bibi seemed better tonight, she managed to whisper out "I love you" before I left for the first time in months so that must be a good sign. Will's probably tired. You know, I said I'd take the bus home but for some reason they don't trust a teenager on the bus by herself past 10 pm! The hospital's not that far though so I'm sure he doesn't mind driving us back and forth in the cold... and the dark...
By Ghezal Amiri6 years ago in Families
Daddy's Little Girl
I’m just a boot wearing, horse riding, deer hunting, truck driving, cute little old country gal. I may look city on the outside, but on the inside, I'm country all the way. I am a sassy talking, Pepsi drinking, deer eating, blue jean wearing, big truck riding kinda country loving girl!
By josh napper6 years ago in Families
Overcoming the Loss of a Father
When I turned ten years old, my entire life was turned upside down. My father, Sam Botner, was murdered while on vacation with my mother in Mexico. There are several conspiracies on the actual story, but the sick truth of it all is that we will never know the truth. He was ripped from my life at ten years old.
By Trinity Botner6 years ago in Families
The Day My Heart Broke Forever
I remember the day it all happened, just like it was yesterday. Just days before I got that call, "Jessy your brother is in the hospital." "He is very sick you need to come see him." So I called my dad so he could take me as soon as I got home. We made the long drive to the children's hospital, as we parked I had this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I walked towards his room down the longest hallway of my life. Nothing prepared me for the feeling I would have the moment I stepped in that room. There he was, my brother and best friend laying in a bed. He was covered in wires, a breathing mask and so many machines all around him. I completely fell apart the moment I saw him like that. See, my brother was the kind of person who was always smiling and happy. He loved to do whatever he could to make other people laugh and in that moment I didn't see any of that in him. So, after I composed myself I went over to talk to him and for the first time in what felt like years, he smiled at me. Which made me giggle and cry a little again. I spent as long as I could with him that day by his side talking to him, giving him sips of water and laughing at things. Later that night I was in my bed just hoping and wishing that my brother wouldn't be taken from us. I went to school in a fog I was so worried about him, and honestly I'd rather be by his side. By the end of the school day I got another call from my mom saying he was doing better. My heart was so happy that it could've burst from my chest. I spent the rest of that day and night in the happiest mood I had been in a very long time. That happiness spilled over into the next day, I went to school and was ready to tackle the day. The first class of my day went by so fast, so I had moved onto math class. On this particular day, we were taking a test and in the middle our teacher's phone rang. She answered it, we couldn't hear what was said but when she looked at me I knew it was for me. I felt close to this teacher, so she did know about my brother and what was going on. I tried to finish that test but it was very hard. So I just rushed, putting down anything. I got up, walked my test to her desk and that's when she said they need you in the office. She was clearly trying to hide the sadness for me but I could still see it. I gathered up all my stuff to walk to the office and was hoping I wasn't right about why. I stepped around the corner to see my dad standing with the guidance counselor. They were all looking at me with this expression that I can't exactly explain. But I can explain in that moment my heart broke into a thousands pieces and would never be the same again. I didn't know what to do or how to handle that he was gone. We were never gonna play a game together again, never would we laugh or enjoy a horror movie together again. I walked up to my dad and just collapsed, my legs no longer wanted to work. In that moment just wanted to stay were I was. Eventually, my dad drove me home; the school gave me some time off to grieve, not that any amount of time would help with that. To this day I miss him, just the same David Allen Shotts Jr. A.K.A Bubba, will remain my best friend for all time. He was taken way too soon, he was born April 15, 1992 and passed May 8, 2008. He just had his sweet 16 shortly before. He will forever me missed by everyone who ever met him.
By Jessica Keller6 years ago in Families