[BeesAngel]

A distant friend of mine had some bad news. Really good friends of theirs had been trying and trying to have a baby. After 3 miscarriages they finally got and stayed pregnant and had a little girl 3 weeks ago, but very premature and weighed less then 3lbs. Yesterday the baby's brain started hemorraging. I dont know the details at all, but wanted to email my friend as he is devasted and is really close to this couple.

Thanks.

[kitty29]

How kind of you to think of your friend. I've seen neat cards that just say I'm sending you a HUG. Also if you can find one, include a babyring.

[prmenrs]

This is a time when you really need a friend. Anything they can do to help the couple, meals, laundry, listening, hugs, would probably be appreciated. If they live too far away, maybe send flowers?

[kitty29]

Also check out "griefnet.com" they might have something you can use. There also is a line of cards called "The Sometimes Line", they used to have a web site and have some very nice cards you could use. This is the place that had the "HUGS" cards.

[sparkyRN]

This is a poem we use as part of our memory box whenever a baby dies. I have seen it attributed to several different authors so I don't know for certain who the originator is. We changed the words slightly (in the second stanza, years is changed to days) to reflect an infant's death and print a male and female version. It still catches me in my heart whenever I read it.
This version is from the mend.org website.

God's Lent Child
"I'll lend you for a little while
A child of mine," God said,
"For you to love the while she lives,
And mourn for when she's dead."

"It may be one or two days
Or forty-two or -three;
But will you, till I call her back,
Take care of her for me?"

"She'll bring her charms to gladden you
And (should her stay be brief)
You'll have her lovely memories
As a solace for your grief."
"I cannot promise she will stay,
Since ALL from earth return;
But the lessons taught below
I want this child to learn."

"I've looked the whole world over
In search for teachers true;
And from the throngs that crowd
Life's lane--I have chosen you."

"Will you give her all your love?
Nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
The lent child back again?"
"I fancied that I heard them say,
'Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For the joys Thy child will bring
The risk of grief we'll run.

We'll shelter her with tenderness,
We'll love her while we may,
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.

But should Thy angels call for her
Much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the grief that comes
And try to understand."

Florence Carres

[?burntout]

I have a memorial website for my son, Blake, that died almost 3 years ago. I have 2 pages with poems on it. I am including the link if you would like to read the poems I have on there: if you like, you may copy and paste the poems into an email to send to your friend. If there is an author's name, please be sure to get that too.

I know of some more poems. I will try to look for them and post them here.

The link to the poem page(s) on Blake's website is here.