April 30th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
While driving any type of motorized vehicle, it is vital to consider the safety of any and all passengers in the vehicle. Many accidents that happen along the United States roadways are caused by drivers who neglect simple safety measures and disobey laws that were put into place for a reason. Driving Drunk is one such occurrence that has numerous laws backing its enforcement. Individuals who drink and drive are not only putting themselves and their passengers into immediate danger, but also endangering anyone else on the road with them. According to the United States Department of Transportation, drunk driving incidents cause fatalities roughly every 31 minutes and injuries every two minutes. Read the rest of this entry »
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April 29th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
DUI Accidents Can Affect Others & Increase DUI Penalties
Driving under the influence is often defined as driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both types of substances. Regardless of the substance used in an offense, driving under the influence has the potential to cause serious injuries and extensive property damage. In most states, DUI (or DWI as it is called in some states) is charged as a misdemeanor. However, this can change if aggravating factors are present or if an offender has had multiple convictions within a specific time period. Aggravating factors can include injuries or property damage caused by DUI accidents, having a child in the vehicle while an offense is being committed, and having a blood alcohol concentration level that is considered extremely high. Knowing the consequences of DUI accidents can help you to better understand DUI law and help you avoid serious criminal charges. Read the rest of this entry »
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April 28th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
When it comes to driving any type of vehicle, we should always consider the interest and safety of our passengers. Accidents that happen on the roads were generally caused by drivers who neglects on following safety measures, one of which is drunk driving which endangers the not only the lives of the drivers but their passengers and the pedestrians as well. According to the United States Department of Transportation, drunk-driving causes fatal accident which happens every 31 minutes and a road injury every two minutes.
In 2005 alone, 254,000 people were injured and 16,919 poor victims died in alcohol-related vehicle mishaps as reported by the police units. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation roughly estimates that above 1.4 million incidents of alcohol and narcotics-related arrests were made by the proper authority. These cover the at least one for every 139 licensed drivers in the U.S. Therefore, alcohol intake is definitely not advisable when planning to handle the wheels. Read the rest of this entry »
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April 25th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
Candace Lightner (born 1946) transformed a personal tragedy into a crusade against drunk driving. She founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a grass-roots organization dedicated to curbing alcohol-related traffic deaths.
Lightner was born May 30, 1946, to Dykes Charles Dodderidge and Katherine Dodderidge in Pasadena, California. She graduated from high school in 1964. After attending American River College in Sacramento, she married Steve Lightner, who was a U.S. Air Force serviceman like her father. Together they had three children. After her divorce from Steve, Candace Lightner supported herself by selling real estate in Fair Oaks, California. She had lived there for eight years when her life was turned upside down by tragedy on May 3, 1980.
Lightner’s 13-year-old daughter Cari, while walking down a quiet street, was struck from behind by a car. The impact Read the rest of this entry »
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April 24th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
We are so pleased to announce the winners of the first annual Grief Blog Poetry Contest. The entries were beautiful and heartfelt and it was so very difficult to judge. Each one is truly a winning sentiment. Those who won are:
1st Place - Kim Hodne: I’ve Stopped Looking for Him Everywhere
2nd Place - Mrs. Blanche White-Toole: If I Could Touch the Rainbow
3rd Place - Lana Golembeski: The Promise of Spring
Honorable Mention - Sandra Priebe: My Third Child is Grief
We will begin posting their poems on Monday, April 28 and will post one each week after that.
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April 24th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
How Friends Help After Death is the topic of our show, Healing the Grieving Heart, which airs on Thursday, April 24. Each guest has authored a book which may be of interest to many of you.
Barbara Francis authored Unexpected Turns: Leaning Into the Losses of Life. See the picture to the left and click on the picture to order.
Betsy Bottino Arenella authored Isabella’s Dream: A Story and activity Book for a Child’s Grief journey which you will see in the right hand column under “This Weeks Guest’s Book.” Again, you may click on the picture to order.
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April 24th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
I am here in the UK, an intelligent,12 stepped councillor who always had all the answers until my only son, 21, died from a tragic accident on 13 March 2008. I never wanted children, in fact I had two terminations but when I fell pregnant with my husband at 35 years old I was astonished and a little bit afraid. However, when he was born I KNEW he was a gift from God and everyone around us said the same thing - he was special. Me, the career woman suddenly becoming the earth mother quite naturally. To cut a long story very short, my beautiful baby whose only fear in life was heights and spiders, went to a party on 12 March and into the bedroom at the party as his friend was tired and angry with his girlfried and, because it was a new development and the building regulations did not specify locks on the bedroom window (4th storey) and because he was mindful that he was smoking a cigarette and wanted to open the window - he fell 4 storeys through Read the rest of this entry »
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April 23rd, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
I cant take it.
I have no one to support me in real life. No family at all except Nana and she is over in Australia. Bobby my husband says I make him depressed and That I need help. I told him he makes me feel worse. Brendan my youngest son keeps telling me to try harder. Its so much pressure I cant take it I want to run away from them all.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Q&A, Death of a Child, Dealing with Grief, Death and Dying, Blog | 7 Comments »
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April 21st, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
Dear Dr. Gloria,
I am hopeful you can offer some thoughts on our situation. My twin sister went through a divorce in 2006. In March of 2007, our father fell ill and my sister and her youngest son, Cody, 13, moved in with him to take care of him. He passed away on September 24, 2007. Needless to say, his death was difficult on my sister, and her four sons, ages 13, 16, 17 & 22. Just when I thought we were starting to turn the corner and view his passing as a life “well lived”, tragedy struck. On December 3, 2007, my two nephews, 16 year old Andrew and 17 year old, Jeffrey, were on their way to school when their vehicle slid in snow and rolled over. Andrew, the driver, walked away without a scratch. Jeffrey passed away on his oldest brother’s 23rd birthday. I can not begin to tell you how devastated our lives are. Read the rest of this entry »
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April 20th, 2008 . by The Grief Blog
Crying is usually the first response to a death in the family. I cried when the surgeon said our daughter was brain dead. The events that followed — disconnecting life support, signing organ donor documents, making burial arrangements — made me sob. But that was just the beginning of my sorrow.
Two days later my father-in-law died. Several weeks after that my brother died and then my former son-in-law died. Four loved ones had died within nine months and I cried a lot. I worried about grocery shopping because I thought I would sob in the store. And I did. At first I was embarrassed by these outbursts, but embarrassment turned to acceptance after I learned about mourning. Read the rest of this entry »
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