Yesterday our son Thomas Martin Blanckenberg was born at 09h00 prematurely at 26 weeks. This due to complications with both Simone and Thomas. He sadly passed away at 12h30. Simone and I know that Thomas is with his sister Isabella in heaven now embraced in her smiling warmth and love. May his soul rest in eternal peace. We thank god for our shining little boy Murray, who in this time like the last, is our shining beacon of hope and bubbling fountain of joy. “We meet but briefly in life, if we touch each other with stardust – that is…
“Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.” ― William Shakespeare, Macbeth
By Recover the gift
I am fellow traveler on life's often tumultuous roads. I have lived and worked through several life changing traumas and experiences which have shaped my path. I strive to help others overcome adversity and lead fulfilled and flourishing lives.
I have a special interest in Addiction Education and Recovery Coaching, Grief Counselling and general positive life orientation.
Wow, what a fright my Belsie – by Simone
My darling Belsie Wow, it’s been a rather awful 48 hours! How do I even begin? Your gift you sent to us, our blessing from you, your baby brother…I thought I was losing him on Thursday morning. I thought you were calling him back to you. I was standing quietly at a school Open Day at the school we hope Murray will be attending from 2018, and at around 9am I started to feel weird, different “down there”. Could my bladder control be that bad? Surely not? What the hell was going on? I tried to ignore…
Its been 7 months – by Simone
Hi my gorgeous Belsie angel 7 months today since you left us, how is that possible? Gosh, the months seem to just roll into each other. I miss you baby girl, so much, all the time. You are always at the forefront of my mind, always! I was in such a bad place emotionally a little while ago. I wasn’t coping at all with pretty much any aspect of life. But I have been feeling the last 3 week or so like I am able to cope a little better. Like my head is popping up above the…
Shine down on us – by Simone
My darling Belsie Today we head off on holiday for a bit (and you would have been 14 months old today). It’s a holiday that we booked when you were still alive, with a few other families, all with children of similar ages. The holiday had so many dreams, thoughts and hopes attached to it. It’s taken quite a mindset shift to get my head around you not coming with us, the holiday not being as I had imagined it would be. I wasn’t able to sleep last night so got up to watch TV. Note to self:…
It’s been 6 months – by Simone
Dearest darling Belsie It’s been 6 months today since you left us, 6 months!! How is that even possible?? I must be honest, words seem to escape me at the moment. I have been having a really tough time of late, I know that you see that from where you are. Your brother has also really been struggling. I got home from work one afternoon last week and he looked at and said “Sissie is gone”. So I said yes and he stated “Sissie gone to heaven”. He then asked me where heaven was, and I replied “Up…
Sometimes life’s challenges just feel too much – by Simone
I am not in a great headspace at the moment. I feel like I am being tested beyond what I have the capacity to deal with. Even though I know I will get through all these challenges, I am finding it all quite tough to be honest. I had cancer 5 years ago (a malignant melanoma which spread to the lymphs in my groin) but after surgeries and radiation, besides my very regular check ups, I continue life without thinking about it too much. I suffer with severe lymphedema (swelling of the right limb) which I have constant therapy…
Belsie’s Memorial Service Program
I miss you baby girl, so so very much. Today I am just attempting to have a day. I thought I should share your memorial program on here as we haven’t done that before. I love you xx Isabella Memorial Programme_1
5 months today – by Simone
My darling Belsie It’s 5 months since you left us. How is that even possible???? The pain still feels so raw, so new, my mind still so consumed with thoughts of you. The last 5 months really have been a blur, a fuzzy mess of mostly non-recollection, of going through life on auto-pilot. 2 dear friends sent me this poem the other day independently and it is so very true. I think it might help people understand me better? And it’s been an important thing for me to understand. Throughout my life I have been the kind of person who…
Big big waves – by Simone
Hello my Belsie The waves come and hit me when I least expect them. Big waves. I am traveling for the next 2 days and so I am away from your brother and dad, so maybe that’s why I am feeling them so acutely today. But they are almost overwhelming. I need to hold it together but it’s tough. I am feeling anxious being so far away from Murray and Dad, not just being a maximum of 5 minutes away from them if I need to get to them. I also drove the road from Pretoria to the…
Our present from Belsie – our blessing, our gift, new life – by Simone
I thought long and hard before doing this post, as I have never been one to plaster this sort of thing all over social media. I was always too scared to “jinx” something. But in light of the fact that we have been so open about our inner most feelings over the last 4.5 months, our hurt, our sadness, I thought it also appropriate to share our joy. We are expecting a baby boy at the beginning of August. I am 13 weeks pregnant and so far everything looks good. We feel blessed on so many levels. The fact that…
isabella1509 