Two down and none to go
by Ernie (SoSadDad)
Mel & Jenn
My 31 year old daughter Melanie died from a combination of heart problems and non-prescription medications on September 20, 2009. It was the saddest day of my life. Now I have a new saddest day. On July 16, 2011, my other daughter Jennifer, 28, died from the same combination. Brenda and I are devastated. Parents for 33 of our 38 married years, we are once again childless. Mel and Jenn both tried so hard to shake the monsters of their backs. Mel stumbled and fell first. Jenn struggled terribly at first, and was doing much better the last six months. But her heartache over losing her sister made it very difficult to concentrate on herself and her recovery. I found her in her room slumped over on the floor by her bed. She was already gone. That image is burned on my brain, along with the soundtrack of Brenda, her mom, wailing in the background. How are we to survive this? We will, but how? She had lived with us for the last year, and we saw her, and heard her voice, every day. And we have had such fun with her, especially as she seemed to be improving. Now it is over and only the memories remain, clouded over by the grief. God in His infinite wisdom knows why they are both gone, and what good will come of it. But we don't, and it is such a waste to us. Melanie and Jennifer were our past and our future, and they are no more. Where is the reason in that? And yet our faith is everything, and all that we have. It's hard to stay angry at the only One who can sustain us. But it's also hard to see His love in this. We will survive. I just hope our loving God can see our pain and confusion, and look past our anger and frustration and our endless questions "why?" Please pray for us. But more importantly, love your children with all your heart, and spend every possible moment of your life with them. Let there be no regrets.
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