One of many lessons I am sure I will need to learn and possibly re-learn. I got a call tonight from a family member. She thought she was having a miscarriage. She was sobbing, scared, uncertain, hoping for some understanding. I asked her to explain what happened. I asked her how she felt. She told me how her body was feeling. I tried again. I asked how she felt emotionally. She said she felt like something was wrong.
Given her history, I told her to always follow her gut and to go to the hospital. I asked if there was anyone I could call for her. I spoke to her fiance and told him to get ready and go. I told them that neither of them caused this, if it was indeed a miscarriage, and that there was nothing they could do to prevent it.
They live in another state, so taking care of the body was the easy part, but did I give enough emotional support? I listened. I told of my own miscarriage. I let her know what to expect at the hospital. I reminded her that I love her. I insisted that she did nothing wrong. I told her that her body was doing the right thing. All this and maybe I skipped something? Maybe we talked about her body too much. Maybe not enough. This is a delicate balance. One I hope to someday be eloquently accomplished at.
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