Hi everyone, it's been a while since I last posted on here - I think it was around the time of the Tony Romas meet at the end of May. We were in full planning mode for our August trip then and the excitement was beginning to build. Everything was generally good - I had changed my hours at work giving me a 2 day weekend and 4 out of 5 evenings at home, the children were doing well at school and DH was doing well in his relatively new job. Then, as is the way with life, we received a huge bombshell.
My darling niece, Alison, had an epileptic fit which caused her heart to stop beating. Her husband was upstairs at the time and by the time he found her it was too late. She was pronounced brain dead 3 days later and died on 18th June. She was just 31 years old. She was more than 'just' my niece. I was her godmother and looked after her and her brothers when their mum was ill with breast cancer (she passed away when Ali was just 11). She later became godmother to my youngest. I designed and made her wedding stationery for her in 2007 and my children were bridesmaid and pageboy. Her husband Chris is beyond devastated and trying to find a way forward. They didn't have children due to Ali's epilepsy, although it was something she wanted and said to me that when the time was right they would be consulting her doctors so that it could happen.
The shock is beginning to wear off and we are beginning once again to look forward to our holiday but it has been a long road. Her funeral was very sad but also very beautiful and the celebration service was attended by hundreds in the local church, showing just how well thought of she was. My brother is in bits having lost his first wife when she was 36 and now his only daughter when she was 31. My nephew, Ali's elder brother, is due to get married in October and has a Disneymoon booked. After a lot of soul searching he has decided to go ahead with their original plans as we all believe it's what Ali would have wanted - she was so looking forward to a family wedding. She lived for her family and was always happiest at large family gatherings.
So, I'm back with just over a week to go until we travel and trying my hardest to focus on the future.
I have been posting a little more on 'the other side' but have missed the friendliness and cosiness of this site more than you could imagine.
Anyhow, off to have a catch up and see what everyone's been up to!
My darling niece, Alison, had an epileptic fit which caused her heart to stop beating. Her husband was upstairs at the time and by the time he found her it was too late. She was pronounced brain dead 3 days later and died on 18th June. She was just 31 years old. She was more than 'just' my niece. I was her godmother and looked after her and her brothers when their mum was ill with breast cancer (she passed away when Ali was just 11). She later became godmother to my youngest. I designed and made her wedding stationery for her in 2007 and my children were bridesmaid and pageboy. Her husband Chris is beyond devastated and trying to find a way forward. They didn't have children due to Ali's epilepsy, although it was something she wanted and said to me that when the time was right they would be consulting her doctors so that it could happen.
The shock is beginning to wear off and we are beginning once again to look forward to our holiday but it has been a long road. Her funeral was very sad but also very beautiful and the celebration service was attended by hundreds in the local church, showing just how well thought of she was. My brother is in bits having lost his first wife when she was 36 and now his only daughter when she was 31. My nephew, Ali's elder brother, is due to get married in October and has a Disneymoon booked. After a lot of soul searching he has decided to go ahead with their original plans as we all believe it's what Ali would have wanted - she was so looking forward to a family wedding. She lived for her family and was always happiest at large family gatherings.
So, I'm back with just over a week to go until we travel and trying my hardest to focus on the future.
I have been posting a little more on 'the other side' but have missed the friendliness and cosiness of this site more than you could imagine.
Anyhow, off to have a catch up and see what everyone's been up to!
Oh Louise, I am so sorry to hear your sad news, hugs to you all
