My Daughter’s Grief

Kaya has experienced more than her fair share of grief. She knows that even the boundless depth of my love for her cannot create a large enough crucible to hold all her feelings about my dying and her having to carry on without me. She and I both knew that in all likelihood, I will not be here as she grows into womanhood. At first, this disturbed her deeply and broke my heart. Now it is this fact of life that we both accept (A Mad Desire for God, p. 98).

Kaya and me

This excerpt from my book A Mad Desire for God hints at the challenges my daughter, Kaya, and I have faced together as I battled Stage-Three brain cancer. Kaya is the love of my life, my baby girl. She was 9-years old when I was diagnosed in June 2010. At that time, she could barely understand what was going on, no less accept that my illness could be fatal.

I have tried my best to teach her how to cope with her feelings about my dying, while at the same time dealing with my own. Of all the relationships in my life it is ours that has been the most tender, gut-wrenching and rewarding during these years of illness and treatment.

What’s up next?

In the coming weeks I will be writing a series of posts about our journey together. This will include more excerpts from my book, some practical advice from leading child-life specialist Kathleen McCue, author of How to Help Children Through a Parent’s Serious Illness, and an interview with Kaya. I hope you will check back in and come along with us on this discovery.

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I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below and share with my readers:

1. The most important thing you have learned about how to help your child cope with your illness.

2. What has been your biggest challenge helping them to cope with your illness?

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Have faith.

Note:  The eBook of A Mad Desire for God is now available for purchase through my website. The eBook version is available for Kindles, Nooks and iPads and can be ordered simply by clicking on the link https://amaddesireforgod.com and choosing “ORDER NOW.”