Compassion Summer 2023

18 tcf.org.uk FOR PARENTS BEREAVED OF AN ONLY CHILD OR ALL THEIR CHILDREN Annabelle was just 9 years of age when she suddenly died on 5th April 2018, on holiday with her mum (dad had to go to work); we were visiting one of Annabelle’s godmothers for the very first time in her new home up North. It was Easter then, we had so many trips planned and booked. We had just come back from a weekend away celebrating Dad’s birthday. Annabelle was and is beautiful. She had such a kind & caring heart for a little girl who had a rare genetic disorder – 1 in 29,000 – Prader Willi Syndrome and on top of that severe scoliosis. Annabelle had ‘MAGEC’ rods inserted in her back at just four years of age, and then again at 8 years. They were titanium rods and were lengthened every 3 months at the Outpatient’s Dept. It was major back surgery but we were part of a new research project to treat children with scoliosis at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford/John Radcliffe’s Children hospital. We travelled every 3 months from Birmingham to Oxford for the lengthening of the rods to straighten Annabelle’s spine as she was growing up. It was working.! It’s been a ‘heart breaking’ 5 years to live without Annabelle, and to realise that ‘yes’, I’m still here and trying to honour Annabelle’s life. I couldn’t have got this far without finding Faith, and also without TCF, and Mary Hartley TCF Librarian – thank you. So, I feel that I want to now put pen to paper and share some poems with bereaved parents of their only child, like us, or parents bereaved of all their children. Life is still hard but I guess it will always be and so very different without our beautiful Annabelle. Remembering Annabelle by Mum, Helen Shaw ‘In Our Hearts’ The Greatest times we ever knew were with you, Annabelle You Are Loved with a Love beyond telling Missed with grief beyond all tears At peace in God’s safekeeping Forever in Our Hearts Your devoted Mummy & Daddy xxx People say time flies …. When you are bereaved of your only special daughter, I find it doesn’t! You wake up each day trying to adapt Adapt is all you can do, I can’t do anymore. The Grief is not ‘as raw’ as it once was But it will always be there However, Our Love & Memories are more Precious & Everlasting They far out shine ‘the Grief’. People say hasn’t time flown by No! No! No! We take each day at a time Life is painful living without Annabelle Our Special Daughter, Forever 9 years (5.4.2018) ‘Time’