Eternity in My Heart: Comfort for Grieving Parents

By Janine Milliken

I was involved in a car accident in 2003 where I lost my two children and my mother-in-law. I was a Christian before the accident, and I could not reconcile my God to my accident. This is my journey of how I came back to God after fourteen years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512796803

Janine Milliken

I am a grieving mother of four. My children are in heaven while I live my life out on earth. I struggle every day to get out of bed, this is my journey. I am 43 years old now, married to Jonathon Milliken. My family and my God helped me through these past fourteen years.

Book preview

ETERNITY IN MY

HEART

COMFORT FOR GRIEVING PARENTS

JANINE MILLIKEN

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Copyright © 2017 Janine Milliken.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture quotes marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-9681-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9680-3 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/17/2017

CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1   The Accident: Shannen, Niall, and Ann

Chapter 2   The Twins – Adon and Ethan

Chapter 3   Shattered Dreams

Chapter 4   Bipolar Disorder

Chapter 5   Traumatic Brain Injury

Chapter 6   Medical Terms

Chapter 7   Coping Strategies for Brain Injury Survivors

Chapter 8   Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chapter 9   Grief

Chapter 10   Body-Brain Connection

Chapter 11   Heaven

Chapter 12   Bible Verses on Heaven

Chapter 13   Where Am I Now?

Chapter 14   How to Give Your Life to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Chapter 15   Final Thoughts

References

Disclaimer

The purpose of this book is to provide biographical and researched insight on bipolar disorder, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and grief.

It is not the objective of this manuscript to reprint all the information that is otherwise available. Rather, it is the author’s intention to complement, amplify, and supplement other texts.

Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there may be errors, typographical or otherwise. This text should therefore be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate source of information on these topics.

The writer urges all persons with bipolar disorder, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and grief as well as those who believe they have a problem in any regard to communicate closely with medical practitioners.

The author and publisher do not take any responsibility for any decisions taken by readers pursuant to the views expressed and information contained in this book and shall not be held liable for any loss or damage suffered by readers based on such views and the information contained in the book.

To the real heroes of this journey: my dad, mom, sister, and husband.

To Tara, who has supported and encouraged me.

To Julie, for never giving up on me.

PREFACE

On 9 December 2003, my husband, Shannen (my daughter), Niall (my son), Ann (my mother-in-law), and I were involved in a horrific car accident. Shannen, Niall, and Ann were killed. I have to tell myself every day that my children are alive in heaven.

In 2007, I was pregnant with twin boys, Adon and Ethan. On 26 July 2007, they were stillborn.

I am trying to deal with a traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and grief. This is my journey, and it will illustrate to you how I found peace and hope out of utter despair and sorrow.

Isaiah 40: 28 says, …But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Shannen and Niall were both unique and treasured gifts from God, my Father. Shannen had red hair and sprinkled freckles with bright blue eyes and a gentle voice. She had wisdom beyond her years. Niall had white hair, a naughty grin, bright blue eyes, and boundless energy. Fear was not part of his life.

CHAPTER 1

The Accident:

Shannen, Niall, and Ann

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned where as yet there were none of them.

(Psalm 139:16)

I cannot tell you how long it has taken me to acknowledge this section. It’s almost as though it is really true if I type it.

I brought up my children with scriptures in the Bible. I would read to them, pray with them, and teach them about Jesus. I cannot thank God enough for giving me the wisdom to bring up my children with the Bible; it has helped and comforted me tremendously knowing they are in heaven with Him.

On 9 December 2003, my worst nightmare came true. My husband, John; my daughter, Shannen; my son, Niall; my mother-in-law, Ann; and I were on holiday in Port Edward, South Africa. Shannen was seven years old, and Niall was just four. That morning, I was standing in the kitchen and got a premonition of the accident. I cried out to God, Please, God, no! I played this premonition off as paranoia, and I prayed a prayer of protection for my family.

On the morning of the accident, we went Christmas shopping, as we were buying each of the kids a bicycle to surprise them for Christmas. It was a wonderful family time with lots of tantrums (as Niall hated shopping), laughter, and love. I had bought Shannen a swimming costume; it was a sweet little bikini, as Shannen was a water baby. I bought Niall a whole lot of Spider-Man clothes, since he would not wear it if it did not have Spider-Man on it –including his underpants! I had often left the house without my son dressed because all of his Spider-Man clothes were in the wash.

On our way back from the shopping mall to Port Edward, Niall had an epileptic seizure in the car. He stopped breathing and was unconscious, so I jumped into the back seat and gave him CPR. Thankfully, he responded to the CPR and came around. I was in such a state of shock that I had just given my boy CPR, and I asked John to go to the emergency room so we could get some professional help. On arrival at the hospital, we were rushed through to a room where the doctor immediately attended to Niall. The doctor advised us that it looked as though Niall had diabetes, which was bringing on the seizures. The doctor told us to bring