You can't be a resource for others unless you nourish yourself.
Dr. Alan Wolfelt says, ... grief is the internal meaning given to the experience of loss. Mourning is when you take the grief you have on the inside and express it outside yourself. Another way of defining mourning is “grief gone public” or “the outward expression of grief.”
There is no one right or only way to mourn.
… is like scouring a deep, dark closet for the thing we are certain is there, we just have to locate it. In the midst of all that digging we find more answers (and questions), assurance that grounds (not grinds) us, and the encouragement (we didn’t fully realize) we needed.
It can be exhausting.
But before we know it we’ve traveled a great distance and covered a lot of ground.
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.
+ When searching, if you don’t find anything on the first page (of the search engine) it is very likely that pages 2, 3, 4 will be similar versions of the same articles found on page one. Start on page 5 and continue from there. You might find something that is peripherally related or you might hit the jackpot.
+ For PubMed articles (and other sites like it) scroll down through the entire page. It is usually indicated which other articles have cited this work, so even though the article you’ve opened doesn’t fully apply to what you’re seeking, there might be a link to an article that does.
+ If you find an article that is a direct hit for what you seek, you’ll notice that all the names of the authors are highlighted in blue – meaning, they are links to other articles by those authors. There’s a very real possibility that those authors have written other papers/articles/studies on the same or similar subject matter.
+ When reading news articles, be sure to check the end because there are often links to related articles there.
+ Another thing about news articles … read people’s comments. Sometimes information that relates directly to what you are seeking is contained in a comment. When possible, make note of the commenter’s name or other identifiable information that might be handy to have later.
+ Be mindful of the date a news article was published. Some aspects of the article may not be up-to-date, or there might be more to the story than what this one article covers.
A Single Bout of Food Poisoning Can Have Long-Lasting Consequences
Consequences and Aftermath of Foodborne Illness
Microbial Forensics in Food Safety
Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illness
Prevalence of Long-Term Risks of Food Poisoning Unknown
Reporting of Foodborne Illnesses by U.S. Consumers and Healthcare Professionals
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura and HUS
Plasma Exchange Potentially Beneficial for Diarrhea …
Similarities and Differences between the [HUS] and [TTP]
Early Plasma Exchange Therapy led to Prompt Recovery …
Plasma Exchange in [HUS] Secondary to E. coli O26
Long-Term Consequences of Foodborne Infections
Long-Term Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychological Adjustment in Children after [HUS]
Prevalence of Long-Term Risks of Food Poisoning Unknown
Long-Term Outcome of Diarrhea-Associated HUS
Need for Long-Term Follow-up in Enterohemorrhagic E. coli–Associated HUS …
When facing a loss, words often escape us. Sometimes, though, words and images are all we have to help us sort through conflicting emotions and get a handle on feelings we’ve kept to ourselves. Whether expressing deep feelings of love or regret, writing out the raging storm helps us see in a different light.
Child of
Esses you are.
Softness of sand, warmth of the sun,
Turbulence of the tossing seas.
You are.
Sixty-five years of life together
Times of sun and stormy weather
Young souls come with newborn joy
Loved ones leave as time goes by
23,700 days of work and laughter
The destination a quiet hereafter
For the partner left it is disaster!
How do angels come to be?
First of all, God must create one.
He chooses very special people on this earth to
have them because he knows the loss they will
feel when they lose that person who is become that angel.
God has His plan and knows what must be done and will help you through it.
To become an angel they must first come to “be” here on earth.
Nikki was such a creation.
From the moment of her birth,
we were all mesmerized by her.
She brought so very much happiness to her parents and family. Her sweetness was unbelievable. She was different. She was so soft and
soothing as a baby, her smile so beautiful and her laugh
contagious. The fun she brought to life!
She always looked on at all of us. She was seldom the “ham”.
She sometimes had that somber look we all see in the pictures,
it was almost like she knew.
She stayed so very close to her mother, for it was to be a short time.
She only knew happiness in her life and that was also God’s plan.
She is a wonderful angel because she only knows the goodness of the world – that’s the kind of angel God needed and created.
It’s all part of His plan.
For if there had never been Nikki here – there wouldn’t be one in Heaven to spend eternity with.
Her parents were lucky to be the ones to have her.
There is a special place in Heaven that will more than make
up for the pain of losing her so soon here.
Then it was time – and God had a hard time, as did those who
loved her.
He had to gently pull her away, and everyone pulled back
so hard! It went back and forth but finally He had the last tug and
an angel she became.
Now down here alone – you must think, “What if there had never been Nikki?”
What a loss that would be – but she was and always will be.
The day will come to reunite with her, but on God’s timetable. She was much too special to ever have to suffer the hardships
of this world and now never will.
Her whole short life was filled with joy and so much love.
Cherish all the wonderful memories and be proud that God
chose you to help in the creation of Nikki …
She’ll be with you until the day you die, and after that – FOREVER!
The Making of an Angel, by Nikki’s Aunt Linda
Watch Over Me, by Chris (2016)
I surrender to
the Turmoil and Anguish
the Ceaseless Chatter turning Circles in my head
I surrender to
the Unexpected, Long and Brutal Fall
the Physical Pain calls my Name as I Stagger, Struggling to Stand
in this Moment, I concentrate on my Breathlessness
as I was left Gasping for Sweet Air
I surrender to
The Iron suit, the Red cape, the painted Mask
For my tears can no longer be stifled, as I destroy the Costume of Bravery
The Wounds that somehow remain Open from yesterday’s Past
I surrender to
The Frustration that Burns and Blinds my Sight
the Darkness whereupon my Eyes had once reflected Light
in this Moment I realize because I Stand too closely
I cannot See
I surrender to
The Fear that Follows my every Move
The Expectation that Looms high, too High, above my Head
the Approval which Lies just out of Reach’s Way
I surrender to
Plans set by some sort of Fancy Imagination
as Mirages they appear only to Crumble
as I draw Closer
I surrender to
the Invisible yet Crushing Force on my shoulders
I bid Fare-well to the Weightlessness my Feet once Felt, like Walking on Air
And I make Space for the Fatigue that has made a permanent Home within
my Body and my Blood
I surrender to
The aching Longing for that which I do Not have
to the medals, the trophies, the certificates, articles, diplomas – Illusions
of what I have done
Fotos of “the way I used to be”
I surrender to
The Mind-Altering Poison of my Senses and my Emotions
The Luster of Gold, the Smell of Wine, the Taste of Honey, the Shape of the pill
Do they offer Salvation?
I surrender to
Ambiguity – Giving it Power is Fruitless
Impatience – My longest Marathon yet
this Race having no Winner
I surrender to
the Crowds of People
Chaotically attempting to Pull me “Their Way”
Creating lines of Judgement
and Silently Destroying the very Unity of which I Seek
I surrender to
Confusion, Blame, Jealousy, the Hurt, the Search
I DO NOT surrender
through Weakness nor Giving up
I need no Weapon, I need no Book
I do not need to take Action
the Fear Finally Fades
I surrender through GRACE
Grace found in the One and Only True God
the Omnipresent Divinity
in All that my eyes can See
as well as what they Cannot
I Align my Self with the Golden Thread who connects us All
having No Beginning and No End
I am part of this
it is Now I begin to Live
to Just Be
I surrender gaining Freedom
With Patience, Peace, and Purity
the Truest Expression of God’s Love
in Utmost Bliss
God Eternally Lives within Me and I within Him
Because losing a loved one to foodborne illness is so difficult, we’d be remiss if we didn’t focus some of our discourse to this.
Inside you’ll find resources for finding support and understanding grief, as well as words of hope and encouragement from some of our constituents.
Stop Foodborne Illness is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.
