Anniversary Reactions

This is a tough week for us. I went online to see what I could find about what we are "to deal with" in the next few days. Gabriella's birthday is Thursday.

I found this on the Mayo Clinc site:

When you lose someone close, your grief doesn't just magically end in time. Reminders often bring back the pain of loss

When a loved one dies, you often don't experience the grief of loss just once. You're likely to relive your grief on the anniversary of your loved one's death and on special days throughout the year, such as a birthday or religious holiday.

The return of these feelings of grief is not necessarily a setback in the grieving process. It's a reflection that the lives of others were important to you, and that you grieve their loss.

When grief returns
The memories and emotions rekindled through reminders are called anniversary reactions. These reactions, which can last for days or weeks at a time, often give rise to a host of emotions and physical problems.

You may experience sadness, loneliness, anger, anxiety, nightmares and lack of interest in activities, just as you did when you first grieved. You may weep unexpectedly or replay images or scenes related to your loved one. You might have trouble eating or sleeping, or develop headaches, stomach pain or intestinal upset.

Anniversary reactions can also evoke powerful emotional memories — experiences in which you vividly recall the feelings and events surrounding the death. You might remember in great detail where you were and what you were doing, for instance.

To read more click here.

This has been a very rough year for us and a year of many changes. Time may have passed and we may have better days then others. But the pain of the loss of Gabriella is experienced one way or another every day. Some couples who experience a loss like ours, usually lead to divorce. I am blessed to have a wonderful wife who through this we have become a stronger and closer couple. Please continue to pray for us and the life long journey we will forever go through. Thanks.