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Lucy Lettuce

Part of my job at the state's tissue bank is to keep in contact with the families of tissue donors through the first year after their loved one's death. I help facilitate letters and phone calls and special donor medals and certificates along with grief support materials.

We have a very large library of grief resources that we provide to families free of charge. During some of my down time, I like to browse through the library and read snippets of this book and that.

Sometimes I end up nodding my head and saying, "Yes, yes," remembering going through similar experiences after Melissa died, and knowing that this information would have helped me then and would probably help someone else.

Sometimes I end up crying, remembering the incredible weight constantly pressing down on my chest until I thought I would cease breathing altogether after Melissa died.

Sometimes I end up crying for the baby I almost thought I could have had.

But sometimes, very rarely, I come across a gem.

A book that has been gathering dust, unused and untouched for months, years.

Such is the case of Lucy Lettuce, designed to help children describe what grief feels like.

But really, it is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I have ever read, completely inappropriate for anyone fresh with grief. I can imagine this book traumatizing some poor child whose parent just died.

I knew immediately that it was the kind of thing the Internet would need to see.

Continue reading Lucy Lettuce...