Avoiding the pink elephant in the room
I am feeling hurt and disappointed with DH's family, who I love so very much. Yesterday was my BIL's wedding and the first time we've seen his family since the miscarriage. I tried to lower my expectations and know they probably would not ask how I was doing since the focus was on celebrating and a new marriage, not on the negativity of losing a baby. As it is, they hardly ask now on email or the phone. But, we saw some people who knew we were pregnant that we hadn't seen since before we made the announcement. I thought maybe those family members might say something. Nada. There was this one moment where I even sorta brought it up.....I was saying that DH and I are planning a big trip next year and they asked if there was an occasion or something and I said, well we decided after what happened to do it.....then I stopped and said, wait, you know what happened right? And then I said, ugh, I'm not sure why I am not saying the word, like its taboo or something, and they just nodded their heads and said nothing. It was soooo awkward. I felt this stupid pressure not to say the word miscarriage like it was such a bad thing and I'm so ashamed of that. How very unfair to me and my baby. It's like I succumb to this "do not talk about this taboo subject" around people sometimes. People do not want to hear about grief or loss, and I feel the need to go along with that and that is just wrong. I just can't get over though, that I never heard a "sorry" or even any word uttered over my mc. I wonder if they think if they ignore it, so will I. Then a member of my new SIL's family came up to me and asked how I was feeling and I said ok and then realized she knew I was pregnant and probably didn't know I miscarried....ugh. During one of the speeches, it was mentioned how many more times we'd all be together for baby showers, christenings, etc and there was of course talk of the new married couple's future children. Watching DH with our niece and nephew is always hard, but last night they were soooo cute together that my heart was breaking in a million pieces thinking of how much I'd love to see DH with our children and can't. There were so many moments at this wedding that I just sat there feeling so sad and angry for my situation, and angry that the joy of what should have been a wonderful event was soured for me, because it truly was a beautiful wedding. But I think the thing that really floors me is how not one family member said anything about my loss. How can they not even acknowledge it to me, when for me its one of the most significant losses and events of my life!? It's like they totally ignored the giant pink elephant in the room, and as if I'm not hurting enough, adding hurt on top of hurt really sucks. A big thing that got me thru these hard moments of the night was thinking about when I would journal this and share it with my DS sisters and know I would get the reassurance, respect and support I need. Again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for you. Love you all! xoxoxo
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I was thinking about you this weekend and wondering how the wedding had gone. I know how you love your BIL and are happy for him, but those constant reminders suck. Ugh... Then on top of it you add the pink elephant with flashing lights and a sign and it makes it all suck that much more. Truthfully, I have felt this way many times with my mc and feeling like everyone is ignoring it and I have come to the conclusion it is for a few reasons that we do not get the support we need. 1) People really just do not know what to say. \"Sorry\" and \"how are you\" seem so simple to us, but for people who have not been there, they just do not know. and 2) they don\'t want to make us feel bad by bringing it up, so they don\'t. Not realizing that in not bringing it up, it makes us feel forgotten.
Big hugs to you hun. And we are here for you. XOXO
I know how you feel. My husbands family never said as much as sorry when I miscarried. I know we sent out texts right after we found the baby no longer had a heart beat saying what happened and we didn\'t want to discuss it
But you would think as time passed someone would say something. I felt like they were acting like it never happened and my baby never existed. I\'m so sorry you are being made to feel this way also. Sometimes I think people just don\'t know what to say or do, so they do nothing.
This journal absolutely breaks my heart. I\'m so sorry that you have to go through this. Nothing about this is fair and no one deserves this kind of lack of courtesy. I don\'t know why people can\'t get over themselves and acknowledge what you have been through. It\'s as simple as saying \"I\'m sorry\". Obviously, it\'s not YOU it\'s THEM. Unbelievable. Again, I\'m so so sorry about this entire scenario. Big Hugs!!!
I am so sorry for your family\'s behavior. A simple \"I\'m sorry for what happened\" would have been nice to hear. I understand the men not saying anything but I\'m surprised that not one woman did. Maybe they didn\'t know what to say or didn\'t want to upset you, although that is not an excuse.
So I will say it for them: I am sorry. It is so unfair and you shouldn\'t of had to go through this. Infertility truly stinks and you don\'t deserve this crap. I wish I could make it all better and make it all go away for you. I am here for you.
So sorry that you had to endure that. I can\'t imagine how awful that must have felt. I\'m sure from their point of view, they are afraid to bring it up because they think they will upset you if they do, but I know it still hurts when no one acknowledges that they know you are hurting. It\'s such a hard thing for anyone to go through, but unfortunately, unless you are surrounded by people that have shared that experience, no one is going to know how to act around you. People just don\'t know how to deal with others\' pain. Most would rather just ignore it and move on, and they are able to, because it doesn\'t belong to them. I\'m so sorry that you are so alone in this struggle. It\'s good that you at least have your DH to help you through, but even he can\'t understand the depth of your loss, because only you knew what it was like to know that baby was inside you. This is why women are so much stronger than men. We have to be able to deal with so much more pain than they do. You will get through this, and eventually you will be a stronger person for it. But right now you can only grieve any way you know how, and give yourself time to learn to cope with your \"new normal\". Life will never go back to the way it was for you, just like it doesn\'t for anyone after losing someone they love. But you will learn to live this new life, and though the pain will never go away, it will subside and allow you to have happy thoughts. It just takes time. You know we\'re always here for you.
I\'m so sorry friend. I agree with the other ladies that a lot of people don\'t know what to say, but that is certainly not an excuse. Especially with family. It amazes me how inconsiderate others are about IF and really just in general. They should have said something to you, period. Know that we are here for you always and support you :)
There\'s so much I can say... I went to a family wedding after my loss. It felt so weird, because most people there hadn\'t acknowledged the loss... so it did feel like there was an elephant in the room. I\'m sure some people are uncomfortable, or don\'t want to upset us, or don\'t know what to do or say, but it still hurts when our loss is not acknowledged. I have learned to just move on and share with those who understand. So glad we all have each other here on DS for support.
Oh sweetie people have no clue - some dont want to deal with grief others just really dont know what to say. However that doesnt mean they couldnt at least ask if you were ok or say sorry.
My heart breaks for you. For ours only two people knew since we didnt even announce and it was very lonely. I cannot imagine how much lonelier these feels. HUGS.
Everything I was going to say has been said above. What a wonderful group of women. We have all been in your shoes in this situation. 1 month after my loss last year the wedding ceremony and it\'s discussion of starting a family was like a stab in my heart. I work with over a hundred physicians and spent 80 hours a week there for 2 years and only 1 person said I\'m sorry for your loss or acknowledged that I had been through anything in person. GA I hope things get easier soon.
I\'m sorry it was a hard time. People just don\'t know what to say. It will get better so keep your chin up. It will take time for you to heal and grieve your loss. Hugs!
I am so sorry you had to endure that this past weekend, people never cease to amaze me! I have felt this way too through my miscarriages. My parents and sister were always great, but MIL not so much. I think it was my second miscarriage that I didn\'t even hear from her directly. There is so much pain involved with a mc and unfortunately people hear the news and move on, while we are still in pain. I\'m sorry that the wedding was not more fun and that the family just ignored everything! At least we are all here to listen anytime and we can sympathize! I really hope the pain eases for you soon, wish we could take it away for you! ((hugs))
I\'m so sorry honey. People really don\'t get it. I\'ve had people tell me oh I know someone who had a mc. Even my own mother never mentioned it except on the days we told them. Your right it\'s like the word is taboo. Problem is those of us that have gone through it find the need to share and hope people will acknowledge what we are going through.
We are here for you. I just wish it could be more.
Hugs
My heart hurts for you friend! Its not fair that those who are supposed to be closest to us can often hurt us the most, even if its not intentional. This miscarriage was a huge heartbreaking event in your life and its important that is acknowleged. Unfortunately I just don\'t think many people around us know how to react, what to say, when to bring it up, etc. Those are not excuses but the reality of it.
I hope that over time some of your family (immediate and in laws) will reach out to you to provide the support and love that you need right now.
((HUGS))
I get exactly how you are feeling. I\'ve tried really hard to not let anger get a foothold in my heart. Some days it is really hard.
The last bit, though, I have been fairly hurt that not one member of my family has thought to check in and see how I\'m doing, except my mom.
I\'ve been fairly open - ok, really open - with our TTC journey. Sometimes I think I am an oversharer. However, I think knowing that my family is very aware of our struggle to even get pregnant, makes me even sadder that they don\'t seem to even be aware of my loss.
I get that they probably don\'t know what to say, and probably think that bringing it up will cause me pain. But sometimes, it\'s just nice to be acknowledged. To have someone say \'I know you are hurting and I\'m so sorry.\'
So let me be the one to say...I absolutely know your pain. I know how it continues, every moment of every day. And I am so very sorry that you are hurting. I know it can\'t take the place of what you need from your family, but I hope you can take some comfort in knowing that each of us here, your online sisters, know your pain.
I wish people would understand sometimes all we want to hear is \"I\'m sorry...\" Not hearing that makes us feel like let don\'t even care and can\'t be bothered. I\'m sorry you were in that situation over the weekend and had such a hard time. It\'s really heartbreaking to me. I hate that you\'re going this this and I\'m so sorry you are. Wish there were more words to make it all okay. Xo