One Month Ago Today...

Well... here we are...  facing the first of what is going to be many...  Today is the first month anniversary of your passing.

One month ago today you gained your angel wings.

I still don't understand.  I don't see why it had to be you.  Why my daughter?  Why my precious princess?

There are nearly 4oo children a year that are diagnosed with cancer in Australia.  Why couldn't it have been one of them?

I feel so angry...  I feel angry because we fought so hard. 

I fought when no one else had the faith in you.

I fought when no one else had the strength to do it.

I fought even though I was tired and I had had enough...

I fought through everything, we endured so much pain, so much heartache...  and for what?

We were beaten at the end by something we just simply couldn't fight.

I feel angry that I had to say goodbye... 

It seems like we have have a month of hurt.  Every time we start to get up from one blow, another one comes down again.  

Just 2 days after we lost you we had to start giving up your stuff.

Then we had your service...  and then 3 days later you came home to us... 

Only instead of holding your soft warm body in my arms and playing with you, all I could do was to cradle a cold ceramic urn. 

We created a special place for you, with all your favourite things...  but it's just a shelf, in your bedroom.  It's not the same as having you here with us.

We still have your airconditioner running.  I know that sooner or later we are going to have to turn it off, but I just can't bring myself to yet.  That is your room.  Your room is always cold.

Slowly, it seems that every day since has delivered another little blow.

Just lots of little things, things that I know are innocent occasions and should be so simple... but they hurt so so so much.

Isabella had her prep orientation...  and I walked into her new classroom and all I could think was that I would never get to do this with you.  You never got your first day at school.

Jessica and Isabella had their dance recital, and as much as I loved sitting there watching them dance, there were some beautiful tiny dancers there, and it just made me think that we would never get to do that with you.

There are constant reminders everywhere, every day, that you are no longer with us.

Even in little things, like jumping into the car and going shopping at lunch time.  We haven't done that in so long because you always had your daytime naps.  We could never keep you away from your naps, you needed them.  

Last week I picked up our Christmas Laybuys and I had to take your toys out and return them.  It hurt me so much.  We had planned a HUGE Christmas which is why I've been paying for it since June... but I put so much time into chosing the most perfect toys for you... and then I had to return them.  It just isn't fair.

Alyssa has developed a love of The Wiggles singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  She plays it over and over again.  She sits in the car and starts singing...  and I can't help but wonder if maybe she's looking for you to sing with you.  You were the one that taught her that song, that was your song.

Even little things...  I will grab a dress out of the cupboard to put on Alyssa, and then at any random time during the day I will look at her, and suddenly I will remember you wearing that dress...  and it just hurts so very much.

All I have left of you are memories...  but it just doesn't feel like they can make me happy.

Each memory makes me cry...  makes my heart hurt and makes me want to be able to have you back, to hold you, cuddle you, sing to you...  to see you smile...  and to see that look in your eyes, that look that told me that you loved me.

Your toy box is sitting here unused.  

Tomorrow they are coming to take away your wheelchair and your bath seat...  and I know that it is only a very short time before we have to hand over your beloved Giraffe chair...

It feels like slowly every thing we have of yours is going away...  and I don't like it.

You have been so much a part of our lives...  you have been so integral in everything we have done over the past 4 years...  and now it's all gone.

I feel so lost...  I feel so sad...  I feel so alone...  and I just feel heartbroken.  I wake up each morning and I go through the motions.  I laugh when I think I'm supposed to and I talk when I think I'm expected to respond.  I cook, I clean, I do the school run.  I avoid talking to most everyone because it's just too much...  but I do what I need to to get through every day... 

But all around me, all I see is everyone is going about their lives, their worlds are still turning, they are still smiling and laughing...

One month ago today my world stopped.

And I really don't know when it will start turning again.

Uncertain.

This is probably the hardest blog entry I have ever written.

Normally, when I write, the words just flow.  Once they start, I can't stop them.  My thoughts, my feelings, my fears, everything just comes tumbling out to form some kind of a textual jumble on these pages.  

Now, I fear that my words have become hesitant...  simply because I doubt my own abilities...  perhaps even my own desires?

Three weeks, five days and 8 hours ago, give or take, my whole world was fracture...  not just fractured.. but shattered.

My daughter, my precious, beloved daughter passed away from cancer.  She was 4 years old.   

The day after her funeral, I found myself being accused of what can be surmised as 'pimping her out for publicity'.  

The primary charge was because her death was in the paper twice within a week.  

Apparently I was selling her out, cashing in on her suffering, and making parents of 'normal' children feel bad.

I have to say here, I really don't truly understand...  but regardless, I was so very, very deeply hurt by the accusations.

The fact that they came via a family member was perhaps even more hurtful...

But ever since, now I find myself in the unusual position where even though I want to write, I am so filled with thoughts and emotions and fears and just general moments that I feel compelled to share...  I now find myself second guessing everything.

I find that now, fear of writing is slowly crowding out my desire to record everything, to write it down and store it for later?

To be honest, right now, I really don't know.

I love to write, and it has been my writing that has gotten me through this so far, but is it fair that I continue if that writing is upsetting others?

I don't know...  I really don't know...

In the midsts of everything else, the one thing I have always held fast to, my writing, is no longer comfort.  Instead I am questioning whether or not I should.

Really, I guess, now, I just don't know which way to go any more.

I simply just don't know.

And Now You're Gone.

It's been a week.

How can a whole week pass without you here?

The world is still turning, people are still going about their lives and doing trivial and menial things...  yet my world has been turned upside down and inside out and ripped apart...  and I just don't understand.

A week ago I gave you your morning medications.  You looked up at me from bed, you smiled sleepily and you played your cheeky goosy girl game...  I kissed you, I told you I loved you and I tucked you in again and let you go back to sleep.

You were tired...  my poor baby girl, you were so very very tired... 

And you did go back to sleep...  and that was it...  then our world ended.

I don't know, I feel so lost.  Everything we have done for the past four years...  every decision, every thought, every action, you have always been the central point for focus.  Even when decisions have been made for someone else, you were our deciding factor.

And now you're gone.

And we are just lost.

Yesterday we held your memorial service.  It was beautiful, it was really beautiful.  There were over 100 people that came, and everyone that was there was there because they love you.

There were reporters there from the Bulletin to write about the tribute for a lost little Princess.

We played a dvd from The Wiggles, a personal DVD that they made just for you.  They love you too.

We showed photos of you, a photo tribute to your life and how much you had achieved...  and in every photo you were smiling, you were bright and you were happy...  and you were oh, so very, very cheeky!

And then, when the service was all over, we went out and we released balloons.  100 purple, pink and white helium filled balloons, 12 Dora balloons and one Wiggles balloon that came just from The Wiggles.

Baby girl, it was so beautiful.  Everyone cried, and everyone told me that they had never seen a service that was so full of love. 

There has been so much love for you, so much love from all around the world.

But that is exactly as it should be. 

My house has been filled with the most beautiful fresh flowers...  orchids, lillies, roses, carnations...  so many colours, so many beautiful smells...  so many flowers that are fragile and precious and exceptionally gorgeous, just like you.

You may have only been 4 years old, but you were incredible.  You have lived a life well beyond your little years and you have seen so many dreams come true.  

You have humbled people, shown them love and kindness, shown them the meaning of bravery and courage.  You have taught people what life SHOULD be about.  

You have been an inspiration...  you have been a light of hope...  you have been an expression of love.

And now you're gone.

You are going to be so very missed...

You ARE so very missed.