Grief & Surviving Loss

By Pamela Jackson

Grief & Surviving Loss offers an empathetic read to help you define and move forward with your loss, understanding that grief is a step-by-step process. It takes time to heal the wounds of despair and hurt. In Grief & Surviving Loss, Pamela Ray Jackson tells her story about her pain in life with loss. She describes her early accounts as a child losing her mother and other close relatives, which shaped her as the person she is. This book is not giving professional solutions but states the ordeals that happened. She defines and expresses how you can feel grief in many forms. It can frequently change and not be the same. She communicates the way her grief felt after each loss. As she discusses her feelings, it enables us to understand the grief process we will or have deemed. Grief does have a place to embrace it and move forward.

 

The stories are deep into the steps the author took to recover and tell her story.  She had to accept and come to grips with the pains of her difficulties. In 2020, she decided to share the story. She felt it could help others that are dealing with grief and loss. Opening her heart to let you in to know the pain was brutal. Sharing her pain was another healing process. I know it has been numerous years for some of the stories, but you never forget.  Giving grief the respect, it deserves is a necessity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pamela Jackson
• Release date: Nov 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393869948

Pamela Jackson

Pamela Jackson was born with gills. Well, not really, but given the depth of her love for all things under the sea, she might as well have been. A professional Aquarist, children's book author and Head Content Developer for the internationally acclaimed EverythingOceans® social media campaign, Pamela's life mission is to inspire and equip the next generation to become powerful ocean stewards. Known for her unparalleled ability to demystify the animals that call the ocean home, Pamela's love affair with aquatic life began when she was just five years old. While other little girls took their dolls wherever they went, Pamela took Goldie-the goldfish she won at the state fair. Fast forward a few years and Pamela's home practically transformed into an underwater reef-complete with various salt water tanks and countless ocean species. Pamela went on to graduate with honors from the esteemed Aquarium and Aquaculture Science Program at Saddleback College in California and quickly became known as a distinguished marine ocean educator in public aquarium facilities. Today, she's a sought-after speaker that partners with parents and teachers worldwide in educating children about ocean life and the importance of ocean conservation. Pamela lives steps away from the ocean in Southern California and enjoys watching pods of dolphins and whales swim in their natural environment from her living room with her husband, David.

Book preview

Grief &

Surviving Loss

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:13

Copyright © 2020 Pamela Ray Jackson

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by other information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Cover and design: Pamela Ray Jackson

Publisher: Sunrai’s Books dba Sunrai’s Fashion and Design Consulting

Table of Contents

Dedication

Preface

Introduction

Chapter One

The Journey

The Bond

Chapter Two

Life Changing

Day Like No Other

No Return

Chapter Three

New Location

What is Normal

Transition New Life

Chapter Four

Change is Coming

Disappointing News

Chapter Five

A Pain Like No Other Corey’s Story

Family Support

Finality of an Angel

Chapter Six

Love to the Grave

Understanding Grief

Chapter Seven

Future Pains

Life Goes On

Chapter Eight

Depression and Anxiety

Moving Forward

Chapter Nine

Struggle in this Time

Epilogue

Acknowledgement

About the Author

Books by the Author

Inspirational Words

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all my loved ones that passed on in my life, creating an empty void. The one loss that inspired me to pull all my pain together and place it in a book is the loss of my son Corey Cordell Jackson. I lost him 26 years ago but wanted to share his story along with my other losses. The pain I felt I wanted to communicate and let others know about the hard transition from the loss of a loved one. But the love in my heart for him carries me through each day. Excepting the lost and moving on to live my life has been a battle. The coping techniques provide methods to accept and deal with the hurt and pain. Understanding your hollowness and how to characterize what you feel is what this book is about.

Acknowledgement

First, I give thanks to God, for without him surviving my struggle would have been impossible.

To my husband Ben, who has been on this journey with me since we married. He helped me brainstorm and pushed me forward. He sees my pain and heartache.

To my children Darius, Benai and Destinee, who provide the subtle encouragement that I can do it and they are proud of me.

To my daughter Lakeisha Love - Mason provides the words to let me know I encourage her, and she know things are good when I am.  She encourages me and stands in my corner with my creativity with books.

To my childhood friend, Evangeline Gurley-Williams who gave me the inspiration to talk during my grief process.

To my childhood friend, Lois Turner Williams, who offered her service to edit and her daily encouragement, You got this.

To my friend Delores Brooks, who inspiring stories motivated me.

To my mentor and personal cheerleader Ruth Hartman. She is always sending me ideas and suggestions to keep me empowered. She also offered her service to proofread.

To Lane Enterprise, LLC, for professional assistance with editing and reviewing.

To my friend Karla Harrison, who inspired me with her ear for compassion and professionalism. She offered the professional support to help me deal with my grief.

To my other close friends and family that have heard my vision and who were there whenever I needed them.  You all have had a major impact upon my life. If your name was not mentioned, do not feel slighted. I value each one of you.

Preface

This book talks about numerous losses that I experienced in my life and how I lived through the sorrow, heartache and pain. Understanding when you love someone comes with a beginning and an ending. The ultimate ending is death, which is hard to overcome because of the complexity of our emotions. All my losses were detrimental to me. I lost my mother, father and other family members at an early age and I did not understand the true dynamics of grieving. These were hardships that made me who I am now. In my adult life, I experienced one of the most devastating losses one can endure. This is the one loss that impacted me differently: the death of my infant son at 7½ months old, due to Bacterial Meningitis. This was a sudden death to an unexplained illness that came out of nowhere. I want everyone to understand that getting to the other side of this kind of loss while staying sane and encouraged can happen. It has been a long journey, but it is possible.

Storms come in many forms whether they are the loss of a loved one or actual weather phenomena. These types of losses are devastating, as you are starting over to rebuild from the rumble of the aftermath. Finding direction and the strength you need to move forward. This book sheds light on those type of losses whether family or natural disasters. 

Going through grief at any age is traumatic, but this book will show how I went beyond grief at different times and the differences in each of these experiences. I learned to understand that in my life, I was dealt the family loss card to a higher degree than most. My life has endured insurmountable pain. This book tells the story of how my life began to overcome the struggle of losses. When the winds of life change your course, they can cause grief and loss. I am not an expert on pain,