Threads of Hope

Over the last two months many people, mostly in the medical profession, have given me information about grief support groups. Without exception they have said things like "it may or may not work you", "everyone doesn't like them" or "its worth giving it a try" when referring to support groups. Since I haven't gotten a positive report and wasn't sure about the reason for their hesitancy, I took my time joining one.

On one of the papers I was given "Threads of Hope" was starred being that is was specific to pregnancy loss and stillbirth. I called them last week and someone returned my call on Saturday morning. The lady said that she always meets one on one for the first meeting.

Today was our scheduled meeting, at the local crisis pregnancy center. I was pretty uncomfortable sitting in the lobby with three 18 year old moms. Especially when one of them started talking about how kids are "drags." But I was soon called back by a very nice lady named Eileen, maybe in her 60's (who has colicular implants so I had to remember to speak clearly). When she started our conversation with the fact that she lost a baby 30 years I thought that this might be a repeat of our first counseling experience (where the couselor was extremly emotional). But that turned out not to be true at all. She was great and has met with many women in my situation.

It also looks like that this is NOT a support group (so I guess I won't find out the reason for all of the warnings) but instead a nine week bible study entitled "Threads of Hope, Pieces of Joy" by Teale Fackler and Gwen Kik. I go through it one on one with the leader and then if she feels I am ready she will pair me up with someone who has had a similar experience. AND she usually meets with women like me at night, so we can avoid the lobby "traffic" that is hard for me to handle right now.

Before I left she gave me a pretty white beaded bracelet with a tiny silver footprint charm. She said she would have many little gifts to give me over the next several weeks to help in the healing and hoping process. I thought that was very sweet but it also made me feel good to be in class (that is what Eileen calls it) and that I'm definilty not the only one who has gone has experienced a pregnancy loss and the even more hopeful thing is that those women survived it!