When a couple make the decision to have a child, a natural plan begins to fall into place. With great anticipation they wait for that happy plan to become reality — birthdays, elementary school, high school, college, marriage and eventually grandchildren. Never does that plan include the devastating loss of a child due to addiction.
Day after day we hear about opiate-related deaths in our region and across the country. Children are dying outside of the “natural order,” and when it occurs it sends people into a tailspin. We’re just not supposed to outlive our children.
While there is really no “getting over” such a loss, you can begin to integrate it into your life. It’s important to understand that grief is a long journey and finding normalcy takes time. You don't wake up one day and everything's good again.