1 November - 9 December 2008
As many of you know, the family medical drama I had written about earlier was the birth of my first nephew, little Khai, and his valiant fight for life at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. After five and a half of the most stressful weeks imaginable, Khai passed away in the arms of his mum and dad.
I was lucky enough to spend 4 weeks of my life, almost all of Khai's life, by his side. He was the most gorgeous, strong, and brave little man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. His illness, and his death, has been the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with.
I wasn't expecting the intense and instantaneous bond I felt with this little guy. I was seven years old the last time I met a baby I was biologically related to, and while I remember falling instantly in love with my little brother when he was born, I wasn't expecting the same feeling when I met my sister's baby. But he really was an amazing human being. He was so determined to give his very best and tried so hard to get better. In the end, his determination and spirit wasn't enough to overcome his body's weaknesses.
I want to thank everyone who sent their support and best wishes to me and my family. And especially those who have understood and respected my need to withdraw and spend time on my own and with family. I haven't been ignoring anyone, I just haven't been capable of normal social interaction with the pain of my nephew's short life weighing heavily on me.
I'm slowly starting to interact with the world again, responding to emails, and even seeing people in real life - accepting dinner invitations, interacting with people who don't know what I've just gone through. Sometimes I can speak frankly about what happened to Khai, other times the mere mention of him still causes me to burst into tears.
I'm not sure how grieving works, and wish I didn't have to be finding out the hard way. But that's life I guess. So thanks again to everyone for your support and patience during my slow transition back to my old self. I still need a little more time, but I'll be there soon. Promise.
As many of you know, the family medical drama I had written about earlier was the birth of my first nephew, little Khai, and his valiant fight for life at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. After five and a half of the most stressful weeks imaginable, Khai passed away in the arms of his mum and dad.
I was lucky enough to spend 4 weeks of my life, almost all of Khai's life, by his side. He was the most gorgeous, strong, and brave little man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. His illness, and his death, has been the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with.I wasn't expecting the intense and instantaneous bond I felt with this little guy. I was seven years old the last time I met a baby I was biologically related to, and while I remember falling instantly in love with my little brother when he was born, I wasn't expecting the same feeling when I met my sister's baby. But he really was an amazing human being. He was so determined to give his very best and tried so hard to get better. In the end, his determination and spirit wasn't enough to overcome his body's weaknesses.
I want to thank everyone who sent their support and best wishes to me and my family. And especially those who have understood and respected my need to withdraw and spend time on my own and with family. I haven't been ignoring anyone, I just haven't been capable of normal social interaction with the pain of my nephew's short life weighing heavily on me.I'm slowly starting to interact with the world again, responding to emails, and even seeing people in real life - accepting dinner invitations, interacting with people who don't know what I've just gone through. Sometimes I can speak frankly about what happened to Khai, other times the mere mention of him still causes me to burst into tears.
I'm not sure how grieving works, and wish I didn't have to be finding out the hard way. But that's life I guess. So thanks again to everyone for your support and patience during my slow transition back to my old self. I still need a little more time, but I'll be there soon. Promise.
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