We wrote this piece for the paper almost a year ago now, to try and help people gain an insight into what it is like to live with the sudden loss of a child.
http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/some-people-dont-know-what-to-say-thats-ok-because-what-do-you-say-when-there-are-no-words-30157960.html
Another year has passed. Easter Sunday will be Patrick's birthday. He would be 6 this year. Eoghan asked me if we were going to bring cake up to Heaven and have it with Patrick. I told him that unfortunately, it is not possible to visit there but that we'd have the cake here. He responded that he knew how...All we had to do was go into his rocket and he'd get us there. If only it was that easy! :)
So, we'll have cake for him right here and an Easter Egg hunt in the garden. Easter is a time of hope and we know he'll be with us in our hearts.
We're busy preparing for not just one but two fundraising events in aid of First Light, the Irish charity that has been offering us so much support, counseling and kind words in the past 4 years. They look after suddenly bereaved parents like us all across the country.
May 3rd, we'll take part in the 10K stretch of the Great Limerick Run like we have been doing since 2012.
May 10th we're organising First Light's Limerick "Mile in Memory", a short 1 mile walk to remember not only Patrick but also all the other children gone too soon.
http://www.mycharity.ie/event/stroll_for_sproggy_in_aid_of_first_light
https://www.facebook.com/events/460372844117083/
First Light offers a first ray of light at a time when you think there is going to be pretty much only darkness for the rest of your life. They help you see that, with time, you will learn to live with this loss. While the pain will never go away and you never get over something like this, the initial rawness will ease...You will adjust to your new normal though it will always feel as surreal as it did when it first happened. Odd but true...at least for us.
Happy Birthday/Easter to my darling Sproggy-pops. Hope you are having a right hooly up in heaven and lots of cake. We miss ya down here...always. xxx
