Well this is quite exciting. I wouldn't have had anything to put today really, although I have found the SANDs forums and Babycentre Pregnancy and Infant Loss forums very useful, as well as all the many baby loss blogs I have read and related to.
Until you're IN this community of people who have lost their children, you don't really realise it's there and it's huge. People now tell you about their own losses, recent or from years ago. But still there's a veil of secrecy around it, which is why this project is so good. It's okay to talk about these things, even though talking about a baby dying is one of the most painful things.
I've recently found out that a number of people have 'unfriended' me or blocked my posts since I lost Isla. Not just since I started this project and posting every day, but since she died 3 months ago. Maybe they find my grief too much to confront. That's fine but I hope those that do read and respond in some way are finding it useful / interesting / fascinating / sad / helpful / inspiring / memorable (delete as appropriate).
Anyway, aside from the huge community of bloggers and forum users, I am organising a community event alongside a friend of mine. We haven't any photos yet but as of yesterday we have a website, sponsorship forms, info pages and safety disclaimers! We are organising a commando-style assault course at Okehampton Camp in Devon in aid of Snowdrop Appeal in memory of Isla and Cure Rett, in celebration of 4 year old Holly who is battling Rett Syndrome. It's going to be such a great day out!
SAVE THE DATE - SUNDAY 9TH DECEMBER 2012
See our fabulous new website for more details and downloads! http://isla-and-holly.weebly.com. My photo for today is our event poster:
Hopefully the first of many fundraising events!
Symbols aren't something I usually associate with. Lots of things remind me of Isla but not necessarily 'Symbols'. But I do find significance for Isla in beautiful things. Such as flowers.
The Snowdrop Appeal are an amazing charity who I will mention properly later on in this project. They raised money initially for two cold cots to go into Derriford Hospital. That meant I was able to spend 2 precious days with Isla and be her mummy in the only sense of the word I now know. They are now raising money for a separate wing for bereaved parents at the hospital, which would save us the pain of delivering and staying on the main labour ward. So there's a snowdrop in my collage.
There is also:
~ A Forget-Me-Not heart shape - obvious reasons for that one and one of the flowers in my tattoo.
~ Some wildflowers - we will plant these at Isla's grave to keep her 'alive'.
~ Dandelion seeds - The literature I was sent home from hospital used these as a symbol of new life, new hope and new dreams. Also a symbol of time passing.
~ Crab apple blossoms - we will be planting a crab apple tree for Isla in December and I have blossoms tattooed on my side too.
~ A view of the wildflowers (with the rock) that are at Yealmpton Woodland Burial Ground, where Isla lays.
~ The large pink flower and the flowers on the beach were photographed for me by the wonderful Catherine of Gabriel's Garden. Catherine chooses a photo for each baby and then takes the flowers to the beach to be released into the wind. She specially chose this one for Isla.
So maybe I do do symbolism after all?!
