"I have read that when someone loses an arm or leg, for months afterward they still feel pain in their missing limb. A phantom limb, it is called, as if the outline or shadow of that limb is still there. That is what my arms became. Phantom limbs, aching for Grace. At night I would wake up in pain, my arms actually hurting with longing for her. It is hard to imagine that emptiness can cause pain, but my empty arms ached."

I could never even begin to imagine how painful it would be to lose a child.

A friend of mine lost one of her gorgeous 16 year old twins to cancer.....and believe me.....the grief looks physical and it is ongoing. I may recommend this book to her. Thanks.

I think if something happened to one of my children or my husband, I would either have a mental breakdown or die, so I have decided I am to die first *LOL*. But then, I'm the only person in all of my peer group who isn't on antidepressants. Everyone else is just to deal with work and life in general. They are all simply amazed that I can cope without them. What does that say about American's I wonder?

I think what is says about us is that at least there are plenty of people out there who have a problem and do something about it. Depression and other mood disorders are real physical diseases and one day hopefully it will be accepted as such. Thank God you are able to cope without meds. I've been on 'em since 1980 when PTSD-Bi-polar disorder caught up with me after Vietnam. And you know what? All of that doesn't come close to what this woman is suffering. She's now in my prayers and thanks for your compassion and understanding.

I think what is says about us is that at least there are plenty of people
out there who have a problem and do something about it.

I hope I didn't come across as making light of it Mooner. I suffered from a really bad case of PTSD after being raped. I almost went into a major depression but somehow I was able to snap out of it (although I don't know how). I tried antidepressants during that time but they had the effect of making me just wanna off myself. But just because they didn't work for me doesn't mean they don't work for plenty of other people.