RSD Me,

Thank you for the obvious care and attention you put into your beautiful post. I know we can all identify with the deep experience you summed up. I found myself nodding in agreement to your statements about bargaining. In the beginning I don't know how many hours I perseverated about what happened, how it might have been different, where it all went so wrong. I had such a need for an explanation, as if knowing would allow me to reverse it. I tried to convince myself forever that it was something else. I remember such deep, deep sadness and anger. Then feeling stuck in it and getting a therapist to help me move forward. Thank you for normalizing the process for everyone.

I found your visiting the stages you went through in your grieving process so meaningful because we have all been there or WILL be there in some form at some point. It is a great reminder that the experience is fluid and does change for the better. We may return to certain stages from time to time, even after we think we are finished, but that is not a failure. It is simply the nature of loss.

You have given us a wonderful reminder of the courage, resilience and grace that can be the gifts of hardship. I would encourage anyone who gets stuck in the natural emotions that come with grieving to get help because as RSD Me pointed out so eloquently, we can do this. Hope and beauty remain.