Caregiver Stories
Listened When There Were No Words to be Heard
by Sarah Byrne, Staff Chaplain, NYU Langone Medical Center
I sought to provide a safe, compassionate place in which to address Martha’s grief, where we could draw upon her long-practiced faith as a resource. At the next visit I raised the subject of her husband’s death and her eyes widened as she began crying and patting my hand. She appeared deeply sad and relieved. I believe that she wanted someone to address her grief, which was at the forefront of her thoughts and engulfing her heart.
Who Am I Now?
by Dede Dankelson
My vision of motherhood, of course, was shattered with those awful words at my 20-week ultrasound. The new person I am becoming—the “after”— is a person that I cannot begin to envision. The only thing I’m fairly certain about is that the “after” person will be better. I have faced the depths of my soul more deeply than I ever desired, and I am able to endure more than I ever thought possible. I have my son to thank for that.
