I am so very sorry for you loss cc and for the pain that you're in.... Grief is so very painful and we all grieve in different ways... I'm not sure where you're from... in the US there are MeetUp's for all kinds of reasons including grief... DS is a great site... I'm glad that you found us... It's not hard to make friends on here ... Great big hug for you and a blessing....xo

Grief is a process and it is painful and takes time to work through..... Losing your father like this would be such a huge shock... xo

Thank house much SunCloud. I am from Louisiana. It is so hard. I was a big daddy's girl. I have good days and bad. Days that I just don't want to get out of bed. I have a good support system of friends and coworkers. I was just think that a support group would be nice to see how others a coping a getting through this.

We all process loss differently, because we are all different.

I have used this group here (the bereavement group) and it is wonderful! But it is delayed in that you may get replies quickly, or you may get replies hours or days later. That is the nature of online support groups.

As you make more friends here, you will find that you get replies quicker, especially if you put time and energy into the friendship too!

Many hospitals and churches have bereavement groups that meet weekly, or at some other interval. That can be nice in that you can "plan" on getting intense interaction on a regular basis. Church groups are, obviously, going to work faith into the group, so pick a church group that has compatible beliefs to your own.

There are other things you can do as well. There is a journal function here, you can write your thoughts on the journal. You can mark it as private for you only, or private for friends only, or fully open. As you make more friends here, they will get notifications when you add journal entries.

I hope I have not gone on and on too much.

Welcome, and gentle hugs

Thank you so much PepperMan. I am liking this site already. I am digging into all of the features this site has to offer. This seems like it is a good fit for what I am looking for.

Here is grief support for LA
http://www.hellogrief.org/resources/louisiana/

I think our will to live is the best tool against sadness. Fight to be alive and happy again. Your step in joining this site is a sign that you have not lost hope. Bit by bit, choose happiness and joy. I think you will be ok as you do this daily. I am learning too

Hopeful I agree. I am trying to do the things and make the choices that my dad would want for me. I know he would want me to be happy and live life. It's the selfish part of me that wants him here.

I lost my mom on July 12th to a heart attack as well, she had no previous heart problems and no one thought this would ever happen, she was only 56. I developed sort of little ways to remember her daily that don't hurt me like wearing a her thumb print on a neckalace that I got from Thumbies, I visit her grave alone and I let myself cry and grieving and ask why. I basically let myself feel the pain. When you lose someone so unexpectedly only time will lessen the pain and even while writing this I've been crying for hours, but the tears come less each day and the good memories come through. My only advice is let yourself feel the weight of grief and cry a lot

Thank you Emily. I miss him so much. Since he passed I have had my birthday then my sisters and today is my moms birthday. I find the are the hardest days for me. They days when he would be here to celebrate. I am getting to the point that I am able to let myself cry. I have always been the strong one that hides my feelings to protect others. It hard for me to let myself breakdown and cry. But I am working on it