re: Have any of you had a child die ?

My son died of SIDS, the day after my birthday, 12 years ago. He was 2 months old. I was in the military at the time, and had just got off of deployment 2 days before. It was agonizing, afterwards. But I came to learn that very little time I had with him was the most remarkably amazing time of my life. With my wife at the time we tried again a year later, only this time to give birth to a premie who lived for a few hours, once again I was deployed. I was evaced off the ship, and sent home to her. We divorced 2 years later, she went on with her life and started a new family, I seeked more personal gains, I have yet to remarry, and I doubt I will ever have kids again.

The pain never leaves, but you learn to cope everyday, hopefully coping well and not self medicating. I don't talk about it much, I am relatively anonymous here, so I oddly feel more open in this venue. Nonetheless, your son was your teacher in life as mine was. I will be relocating from Louisiana to Massachusetts soon and packing my house currently, I came across a lot of old pictures of me and him, every time I see him my heart breaks for him, but my heart mends with the love I have for knowing how precious a child truly is to people filled with love.

And although the anguish has waned, the pain remains. But I am resolute in my compassion for every child this world allows to exist in it. You are not alone, it sounds as though you understand. So just know, I feel your pain and understand it. One day we will all see our children again!