Read personal stories from our founder and Jennifer's mommy, Libby, along with other Warrior Moms and news from our Unravel team.

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i just want my daughter

August 24, 2014

I just want my daughter. I miss her so much. With such a terrible forcefulness.

So many feelings.. she should have been here.. And why her? Why my baby?

I just want to hold her. To feel her. To see her smile.

I am trying so hard. So hard just to function .. I cannot believe how exhausting just living can be somedays.

Today is that kind of a day.

I woke up ok. We took the kids to breakfast since they filled their sticker charts. And my ache started to break open then. I don’t know if it was the nagging feeling I had that I gave into when we left to give a table full of people our business cards. Feeling like I was ruining their nice morning with the reality of our lives.. or even worse. If they didn’t even care. If it was too much and they just tossed the cards with her smiling little face aside.

Somebody working at the restaurant paid for our meal. The generosity and need for people to let us know they care is overwhelming… Its a kindness my Jennifer had.. but I don’t think I innately do.. I am trying to learn from her.. But I also hate it. I don’t want people to know us. I just want to be the family with 4 cute kids.. I want to hear again “are they all yours?” on a daily basis.beach

i just want my daughter back.

Then walking out I saw somebody reading the paper.. Open to the page with her face looking back. I remember that moment. As she was moving the top of her dress aside so they drs could get better access… A daily occurrence for those 7 weeks we were at Stanford.  So I went and introduced myself.

I took my boys to a birthday party today. A girl who turned 6 today.

paciI played with Charlotte for quite awhile in her big sisters room before we left. . and I cried. Endless non-stop tears. The boys came in and out. Tony walked bye and saw the state I was in. And I could see in his eyes.. the heartbreak that we feel so vividly communicated in one glance.

 

I had said we would go so we did. I hoped it wouldn’t be as hard since I had such a big emotional release beforehand.

I was wrong.

She should have been there. Running around and riding horses.

I felt beaten down.. and almost scared.. I can’t explain that emotion at all, but it was certainly flowing through me. Luckily a new friend was there with her daughter and sheltered me much of the time. Sitting with us and talking with me. Superficial talk and real talk. Just a nice honest mixture. And her daughter asked a lot of questions about Jennifer .. So hard to answer the right way.. To say the truth but not scare them. .. or go against what their parents are teaching them. And I looked at my boys and wasn’t sure if I was doing right by them either.

On the car ride home Jonathan and I talked about it. I asked him how he felt about it. He said he wants me to talk to people about Jennifer’s cancer but not in front of him. He wants me to teach people. But to give him a out.

And so I will, we now came up with my reply to give him some space if he needs it.. or not if he doesn’t.  Because sometimes he likes to hear what I say. Learn answers to questions he never thought to ask..

but maybe today was too much for him too.                                                                                                                                                          Maybe he was picturing what she would have been doing at the party also. ..

I hope they will remember how I was always wondering about them.. how all of this impacts them. Always I think of them. I often don’t do it right… but I always want to. I always try to.

Nicholas

Nicholas

They had a option to go on a horse. Nicholas did right away. Even though Jonathan said no he got right up there.. He was scared but he did it. So proud of him for following his own path.

DSC_0595

Jonathan

Later Jonathan decided he wanted to give it a try. He gripped the saddle as tightly as he could. He did it. .. in his own time. He pushed through his fear.

I just found this picture of her. I can't wait to show the boys!

I just found this picture of her. I can’t wait to show the boys!

We sang happy birthday and that was my tipping point. I remembered less than a year ago singing to her on her 6th birthday.  I remembered I couldn’t eat a thing. For a few days after learning that my just turned 6yr old had a kind of cancer that is terminal upon diagnosis.

I remember hearing peoples voices fill the room with love, hope and despair.. Knowing it would likely be the last time I was ever that lucky to watch her celebrate the day we became a mommy and daddy. I remember how her head was tilted as she blew out her candles so she didn’t see double. I remember my fiery desire to tell her what to wish for..

bday

I remember my brains attempt to absorb every moment.barefeet

The way she smiled.. and laughed.. I didn’t know then to try to memorize the less obvious.

How her hair felt as I stroked it as she stood next to me. The way her feet sounded as she walked around barefoot. If she said anything to me as I hugged her to me..bday2

I watched and I sang along and the part of me I hate but am trying to accept came out. The questioning of why.. Why her? Why my daughter? Why our 6 yr old?

..followed that sentiment then in the car with the overwhelming sensation that this is forever. There is nothing I can do about it. She will always be gone. I will always wonder. I will always ache. I will always be jealous.

The boys fell asleep which gave me time to meet my husband in the garage to find comfort in his arms and say through the still unstoppable stream of sorrow..

i just want my daughter. i miss her so much.

lips

…until there is a cure…

 

  1. Janis says:

    Dear Libby, My heart aches for your loss. God Bless. Jan

  2. CM says:

    We miss her too. We want her back as well…

  3. Esther McKee says:

    Hugs to u Libby! Thought a lot about you and your family today.

  4. Lisa MacDonald says:

    Oh Libby, I’m so very sorry. There are no words…

  5. Laura M says:

    I am so sorry Libby. This is all so unfair. And painful. I wish I could say or do something to ease your pain. Know that I pray for you all. I think often of Jennifer.

  6. Alli says:

    I cannot even begin to imagine the grief that you and your family feels on a daily basis with the loss of Jennifer. I never met her nor you and the rest of your family but because of Jennifer, I have a new fiery spark inside of myself to get out there and try to make a difference. My nephew was diagnosed with ALL back in 2010 and relapsed in 2012. As of right now, he is fighting such a hard battle. Seeing him fight and reading about JLK and everything she has gone through has made me want to fight more for them. If there is anything that I can do to help get your voices heard, please let me know. I want to help.

  7. Linda Blundo says:

    Im so so sorry Libby. I am in tears as I read this. We miss her too, so very much. Im so sorry that she us not here with you. I with all my heart she was. I will hug my daughter Eva a little tighter tonite because of you and Jennifer. All my love and prayers to you and your family today amd every single day. We love you all. All 6 of you. ♡♡♡♡♡♡

  8. EMailman says:

    I reel with the unfairness of it. Why her? Why your family? Why such a bright, shining light? It is impossible to fathom.

  9. Emily says:

    I’m so sorry. No other words tonight. Just prayers for some comfort. Thinking of you all daily. ♡♡♡♡♡♡

  10. Lisa Jack says:

    Lifting you all up.

  11. Linda says:

    Reading through tears, sending you hugs, love and prayers.

  12. Melissa says:

    I saw pictures of the party tonight, and saw Johnathan on the background wearing his love4jlk shirt….took a deep breath for you….Can only imagine the strength it must have taken just to ho…but you did it for them, because of her….

  13. jennifer sufferin says:

    No words but know that i think and pray for you all daily xx

  14. Krista L says:

    I am sorry, Libby. Everyday you are faced with such huge challenges and I am proud of you for the way you choose to handle them. Keep up the fight! I am right here with you!

  15. Leah says:

    Unimaginable pain. Sending love.

  16. Tara finn says:

    I am praying always for u libby

  17. Donna says:

    Continuing to wish it were different.…better. Praying for healing, strength, and success with unravel.

  18. Charla says:

    Oh, Libby. My heart aches for you. It also is inspired by you and how you choose to go on and share Jennifer’s story. The strength you and Tony have as you get your non-profit up and running. All for Jennifer. Love and prayers for all 6 of you. Keep fluttering!

  19. Airen says:

    Still here… Still reading.

    Jennifer..

  20. Charlene Cannavo says:

    God bless you and your family as you journey through this loss of a daughter and sister. You are stronger than you realize in dealing with a loss a mother should never have to know! Just remember she will always be with you with every breath you take 🙂

  21. Sue says:

    Words are stuck in lump in my throat. Just so glad you and Tony are supporting each other.

  22. Jennifer says:

    No words, just tears and prayers for comfort. I ask WHY? also Libby every time I read your post. She looks so adorable in the deer Jammie. Sending positive thoughts always LOVE4JLK FOREVER

  23. Doris says:

    Every birthday must renew the grief and rip it new again. I’m so sorry. No words to express the depth

  24. Corrie says:

    It’s horrid…..just horrid. And it shouldn’t be happening to you. So sorry, my friend.

  25. Kristen Tredrea says:

    No words. It is so unfair. I wish I could fix it. I pray for you daily I’m so glad you and Tony have one another through this

  26. Amanda Santos says:

    This is my first comment because I always feel the words I write will never be right. I want you to know that I think of you and Jennifer everyday. I read everyday. I pray everyday. For all of you.

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