THE BOOK
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Dear Reader – Introduction
Chapter 2: Trauma Moment – From bad to worse
Chapter 3: Waiting and Not Knowing – Fourteen days in ICU
Chapter 4: It Finally Happened – Through the valley of the shadow of death
Chapter 5: The Day After – Acknowledging the loss
Chapter 6: Madness in the Middle – Between the death and the ceremony
Chapter 7: Legacy – The life celebration ceremony
Chapter 8: All-Encompassing Grief – Body, mind, spirit, emotion
Chapter 9: Life Goes On – Re-entering the world, changed
Insert: Step Up, the “Good Ones” Are Dying
Chapter 10: Moving Forward – A believer’s approach to grief
Chapter 11: Widow – A new relationship status
Chapter 12: Missing – How I felt about losing my spouse
Chapter 13: Until Death Do Us Part – Laying down the soul tie
Chapter 14: Ashes to Ashes – Scattering the ashes
Chapter 15: Grace in the Pace – Surviving milestones and responsibilities
Insert: Comfort on Tap
Chapter 16: Overwhelmed – Can I do this on my own?
Chapter 17: Rhetoric of Grief – The strange things people say
Chapter 18: Awakening – When the numbness starts wearing off
Chapter 19: Questions – “What ifs” and “Whys”
Chapter 20: Making New Memories – Redefining the family unit
Chapter 21: Seasons – A time for everything under heaven
Chapter 22: Provision and Prosperity – Trusting God for more than money
Chapter 23: The Flip Side of Grief – Not everything was bad
Chapter 24: Preparing for the Storm – Things you can do now to help you cope later
Chapter 25: Grief Survival Guide – A guide for the grieving
Chapter 26: Helping the Grieving – Things you can do to help the bereaved
Chapter 27: Perspective – Conclusion
Chapter 28: Promises and Assurances – Scriptures to help you through
Prayer
Annexure: Desmond’s Eulogy