Episode 12: Gwen – Surviving the Holidays

On today’s episode, Gwen and I discuss the struggles of getting through the holidays with a heart that is grieving and broken. Grieving is hard work with days that are good and other days that are terrible. Triggers come. Sometimes the triggers are out of the...

Episode 11: Nathan’s Mom

On today’s episode, I talk with Michele Shedd, Nathan’s mom. Michele knew from her 20 week ultrasound that her infant son had a condition that would not allow him to live more than a few hours at most. Despite this fact, she and her husband made the...

Returning From Leave

  Today marks the one year anniversary of the last day that I saw patients before I went on ‘medical leave’ for my grief. I continued to do administrative work on and off, but I stopped seeing children and families. It was just too painful. I returned...

My Job

Recently, I have been thinking about patients whom I cared for when they died. A few of those occurred here in Grand Rapids where I have been a general pediatrician, but the majority happened during my pediatric training at the University of Iowa. I don’t...

Episode 10: James’ Mom

On this the last day of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month, I have a guest who understands this loss in ways that most people never will. Jessica Tosh lost her infant son, James, after just 2 months of life. Young James was never able to leave the hospital, but...