To continue from episode one, my daughter, Madison, shares her perspective on coming to terms with the passing of my husband, Paul. Madison opens up and shares what it was like seeing her father become a different person through treatment. She also shares how a lot of her peers did not completely understand what she was going through and she ended up losing life-long friendships because of her grief.

Key Takeaways:

• Madison tried to remain positive, but when mom and dad told her they were stopping treatment, she didn't know how to feel.
• Madison's dad was a weightlifter who loved food, but seeing him become sick by eating the very foods he loved, made it even harder for her to understand what was really going on.
• Madison's dad would cry during major life events like her birthday and when she saw him cry, she broke down too.
• It had been a long time where Paul was sick and Madison was so numb to it all that at first she didn't really know how to take the news that he had passed.
• Dad was always happy and he stopped being the person she knew when he underwent treatment.
• Madison's friendships have changed now that her dad has passed. Her friends didn't really understand that she was hurting and so they stopped talking to her.
• Madison felt shamed for her grieving.
• The adults in her life acted as nothing had happened. She just wanted someone to be there for her.
• People say she's lucky because of the relationship she had developed with her dad, but she doesn't feel lucky.
• How can you show up for a child who has recently lost a parent? Check-in with them and ask how they're doing. Just let them know that they matter and notice them a bit more.
• Madison shares some fun stories about her dad.

Get Connected:

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Quotes:

"I thought it would be one of those cancers that would go away."

"There is no one way to grieve, so when I didn't grieve in a way that people were comfortable with, they judged me."

"Losing a parent is a whole new different pain. Me and dad were best friends and he was always there for me."