This newsletter really resonated with me, thank you for sharing your experience. I lost my father last year after a very short illness. I'm Irish but I live in Dubai and work in a very multicultural office. In Irish culture, there are many rituals around death and grief. People are comfortable sympathising and discussing grief. It was a real shock to me to experience how different it must be in other cultures, at least based on my experience with friends and colleagues here. For the most part, my Arab colleagues sympathised or acknowledged my father's passing but many of my colleagues from the US,UK, Europe or Russia did not. Not exclusively but generally. It also came up in conversations I've had since how few people I know from the US/UK etc have ever been to a funeral. In Ireland, you attend the funeral of people you may not know well or at all, as a mark of respect for their family, who might be your friend or coworker. This also makes people more comfortable discussing issues around grieving I think.
I am deeply sorry for the loss of your babies. I'm a grandmother now but one of my grandchildren didn't get to be born. This tiny little shoot on our family tree will not be forgotten. Sending love to you x
I’m so sorry for your recent loss. One of the things I find hard about my pregnancy losses is the sense that only I knew and remember them. I have found it very important to find some way to commemorate their brief existence and in writing about it, you have found a way to mark them as well as supporting others who have been through similar experiences.
Apr 21, 2023·edited Apr 21, 2023Liked by Yasmin Khan
Love and sympathy, Yasmin - there's so many of us out there (me too) that it's worth talking about even if only for the comfort of knowing others have been there too.
You speak so much truth here, Yasmin, thank you for this post and for sharing your own experiences. I'm so, so very sorry for your recent loss, and previous losses, and hope you're able to rest up in the next few weeks and be kind to yourself. What you're going through is absolutely brutal, and I'm with you on not understanding why we don't have more cultural support for grief and miscarriage in particular. Having gone through it myself, I was horrified to experience a flippancy in medical settings that translated to a complete lack of empathy (the 'it's very common' line doesn't really cut it when you're beside yourself with grief and shock) or acknowledgement of the psychological trauma and grief of it. The best support I found was through talking to others who have gone through it, and Tommys helpline which was brilliant. So thankful for writers like you who are bravely normalising conversations and increased dialogue around these issues. Sending much love and solidarity your way xxxx
Admire your courage not only for dealing with yet another recurrent miscarriage and painful loss, but also your ability to talk about it so openly, providing useful information & resources for others who might be going through grief in general & miscarriage in particular.
Sending love and a basket of positive energy ❤️❤️🌹
This newsletter really resonated with me, thank you for sharing your experience. I lost my father last year after a very short illness. I'm Irish but I live in Dubai and work in a very multicultural office. In Irish culture, there are many rituals around death and grief. People are comfortable sympathising and discussing grief. It was a real shock to me to experience how different it must be in other cultures, at least based on my experience with friends and colleagues here. For the most part, my Arab colleagues sympathised or acknowledged my father's passing but many of my colleagues from the US,UK, Europe or Russia did not. Not exclusively but generally. It also came up in conversations I've had since how few people I know from the US/UK etc have ever been to a funeral. In Ireland, you attend the funeral of people you may not know well or at all, as a mark of respect for their family, who might be your friend or coworker. This also makes people more comfortable discussing issues around grieving I think.
I am deeply sorry for the loss of your babies. I'm a grandmother now but one of my grandchildren didn't get to be born. This tiny little shoot on our family tree will not be forgotten. Sending love to you x
I’m so sorry for your recent loss. One of the things I find hard about my pregnancy losses is the sense that only I knew and remember them. I have found it very important to find some way to commemorate their brief existence and in writing about it, you have found a way to mark them as well as supporting others who have been through similar experiences.
Love and sympathy, Yasmin - there's so many of us out there (me too) that it's worth talking about even if only for the comfort of knowing others have been there too.
Heartfelt condolences Yasmin - sending white light, big hugs, and gratitude for your fortitude in showing us how to ‘be truthful to yourself’.
Thank you for putting all these important necessary words into writing. Sending you a big hug ♥️
You speak so much truth here, Yasmin, thank you for this post and for sharing your own experiences. I'm so, so very sorry for your recent loss, and previous losses, and hope you're able to rest up in the next few weeks and be kind to yourself. What you're going through is absolutely brutal, and I'm with you on not understanding why we don't have more cultural support for grief and miscarriage in particular. Having gone through it myself, I was horrified to experience a flippancy in medical settings that translated to a complete lack of empathy (the 'it's very common' line doesn't really cut it when you're beside yourself with grief and shock) or acknowledgement of the psychological trauma and grief of it. The best support I found was through talking to others who have gone through it, and Tommys helpline which was brilliant. So thankful for writers like you who are bravely normalising conversations and increased dialogue around these issues. Sending much love and solidarity your way xxxx
Pregnancy loss is a dark place. I'm sorry you're going through it again. Wonderful writing from the depths of your current grief - thank you!
Admire your courage not only for dealing with yet another recurrent miscarriage and painful loss, but also your ability to talk about it so openly, providing useful information & resources for others who might be going through grief in general & miscarriage in particular.
Sending love and a basket of positive energy ❤️❤️🌹
Sending love, light and positivity your way. Beautiful supporting words for others x