re: How can you cope with the loss of a parent?

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I lost my Dad on August 22, 2003. He was my Dad, but also my Podna. All the things we did together I can no longer do. No hunting, no fishing, can't do it.

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My dad and I followed MLB together and went to a lot of Astros/minor league games. I don’t even follow baseball anymore. My son doesn’t care and I have no interest. Just isn’t the same.

It will get better. My wife and I have each lost parents to suicide. It’s a horrible thing but we’ve gotten through it together. I was sad about my dad when he did it. He was a Vietnam vet and never was able to shake it. My wife’s mom was not a nice person and my wife took it as a big F U when she did it. It’s still sad but she’s mad more than sad. Time heals all wounds.

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My wife and I try to never think about it,

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As someone who has gone through what you're saying you'll have to go through, try to be as happy as you can with her. There is going to be a lifetime of grief to come later. And it's going to negatively change your personality forever. I'm sorry.

People say "time". Well, thats bullshite. It never really gets better my friend. You just learn to cope with it. Talk to other family members about it as a group. Talk to a friend. Talking about it really helps.

Many funeral homes have some type of grief counseling.

My wife fell apart one year after losing her mother. Attending one group session validated her feelings and she recovered quickly thereafter.

I'm at the other end of this spectrum as I am almost the last man standing in my family. I've lost mom & dad, my oldest sister & now my youngest sister is not coming home from the hospital. This is difficult in a different way, perhaps, but it's still sobering.

Faith.

I've now lost both my parents.

My dad will have been gone a year come June 21st

Trust that we will see him and mom again.

It's still really hard sometimes. I just focus on being the best dad I can be and carry on everything he did for me with my kids. We talk about him and mom. We cook like he does. We openly stay engaged so he's not forgotten.

I dream alot and they are vivid. Dreams of my mother and her coming to visit with me are always smiling and warm.

Dreams of my father are always tumultuous. Last nights was of his death and we buried him and I didn't remember the service. The one prior we were in the hospital desperately trying to get him some iron as he was low and kept falling.

Just means his soul needs more prayer. His life was really hard and he got us away from a poor situation with family to help us succeed. He spent the last 30 years basically homebound disabled. He still kept a good attitude and was awesome. But I feel his soul stills struggles.

Find a group or therapist and visit with them. You deserve to find peace and move on.

Your parents would never want their child to suffer in perpetuity.

GL. Do the things they did to keep them alive with you.

It gets better.

I promise.

I can't speak for others, but this is where faith comes in.

The knowledge and strong belief that I'll see my parents again is incredibly comforting.

It will get easier over time. Two years since my dad passed. I don’t hurt like I did the first year, now random memories pop up about good talks or good visits we had over the years.
Dad spent some summers in Detroit while in his high school/college years. He also was a Braves fan his whole life. I got us tickets to see the Tigers in Atlanta one August. Great seats behind the Braves dugout and with the 5pm start, the sun was baking us. About the 4th inning dad looked over at me with sweat pouring down his face and said “whose idea was this?” Then we both just laughed.
For those who still have their parents or even grandparents, make the time to talk to and visit with them as much as you can. One day the opportunity won’t be there.
I’m sorry for your loss. The hurt will ease over time and you will have memories to keep him close.