In grief remembering you inspires me

Tools for finding hope along the journey: The next breath


Losing someone that we love is like getting the wind knocked out of us. Can you remember a fall, maybe as a kid, where for an instant you felt like you couldn’t take another breath? The moment passes and as we suck in air we realize that we are going to be okay. We literally take a next breath after their death. That first one is the first step on the grief journey. It is a signal that we have survived the first moment and with each breath we will learn to continue on the journey. Missing them forever is part of surviving.

Artwork by Tanya Lord
About the Artist

Tanya Lord was a special education teacher when Noah died. After his death she read The Institute of Medicine’s report To Err Is Human and realized that the errors responsible for her son’s death were not unique. This created a desire and determination to better understand and work towards improving health care. Currently she has completed a master’s degree in public health and a PhD in clinical and population health research and is completing a post-doctoral fellowship. Lord shares her personal and professional experiences in presentations and workshops for medical staff and students focusing on the importance of effective communication with patients before and after an error. She also is a co-founder of The Grief Toolbox (www.thegrieftoolbox.com), which offers tools to help those along the grief journey. Lord may be contacted at [email protected]