Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2002. Mattie was six months old. Trying to get Mattie to sleep was a labor of love. I always thought babies naturally fell asleep on their own! Wow, did I learn the hard way that this isn't the case. As you can see Mattie was wide awake! We tried everything to help Mattie sleep. At the end of the day, I had to read a book detailing the Ferber Method. Which basically trains your child to self sooth by using a series of training sessions. You leave your child alone for strictly-timed intervals, ignoring any protests and cries you might hear. I honestly did not believe this could work, but we followed the Method to a T, and it worked! We resorted to using the Method because Mattie did not sleep for more than a couple of hours, until we Ferberized him.
Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.
- number of people diagnosed with the virus: 7,368,452
- number of people who died from the virus: 209,187
You know the kind of day that when you wake up, you realize it isn't going to be a good day? Well today was one of those days. Not for anything specifically, but because of an accumulative of things. Day one after receiving the flu shot, and I am stunned I don't have a fever, aches, or even arm pain. The pharmacist yesterday said this was going to be a different experience for me, and she was right. I have no idea if how she gave me the shot made the difference, but I am thrilled. Of course, taking Tylenol every four hours for 48 hours straight isn't hurting me either.
One of the research projects Mattie Miracle has funded, was the development of a manual to create an on-line support group for bereaved parents. Naturally a topic near and dear to Peter and me. The manual was created and pilot tested and the researcher of the study has asked for me to write a Forward to be included in the published manual. As I said, it wasn't a good day for me, so I literally sat down and couldn't string two words together. I think the daily non-stop COVID routine gets to me at times and the lack of freedom is sending me over the edge. When this happens, walking is necessary! Sunny benefited today! In any case, after several walks, I went back to the computer and generated this..........................
The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation is proud to have supported the research and development of this Manual. The Manual provides a road map to create an on-line support group for bereaved caregivers. Bereavement support is an essential part of quality medical care and this is supported in the evidence-based Psychosocial Standards of Care. Every day, seven children die from cancer, and families are left to cope with this forever loss. Yet in so many cases, families face the unimaginable without the support of their treatment site. Which only compounds the feelings of loss, isolation, and despair. Healthcare teams play a vital role in a child and family’s journey with cancer. The journey does not end when the child dies. Which is why the Foundation stands behind this innovative research which uses technology to support families after the loss of a child. The beauty of the Manual is that it details the ease of creating a follow-up service, without over burdening staff and requiring additional financial resources. On behalf of all families whose child died from cancer, we thank you for your interest in this Manual, and your commitment to meeting the psychosocial needs of bereaved caregivers.
1 comment:
Wow. I think the walk helped you, as well as Sunny. That's a wonderful forward to the manual.
Hang in there. People are rooting for you!
Cheryl
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