Rhonda O'Neill

I am a nurse and I write about my personal experiences with the tragic deaths of my husband and son within two years of each other. During the decade that followed the death of my loved ones, I was also forced to face my own mortality due to several life-threatening illnesses. These experiences thrust me into the unwanted world of complicated grief. The suffering I experienced during my grief led me on a search for answers into why this kind of pain happens in life. I questioned my previously established belief system, and my unanswered questions ultimately lead me to deeper questions about the greater meaning of life. Eventually I learned how to transform my pain through emotional and spiritual growth. Discovering that that although we can heal our shattered hearts after the loss of someone we love, the scars will always remain, but so will the Love. This is the dichotomy of grief. It takes great love to know such tremendous heartbreak. I have researched the philosophy, science, metaphysics and theology of death, life, God and the universe for a decade. Each piece of truth that I uncovered helped me develop a spiritual path that allowed me to transform my grief, eventually arriving on the other side, ready to live life again. I knew through these experiences that my loved ones were safe and continued on in another spiritual realm. My hope is that my experience and search for answers will help to spark the flame that will light the way for someone else’s journey on the path of grief. Ultimately, we each have to find our own answers and our own path to the other side. But, through joined understanding and support, we can help to illuminate each other’s path. I also use my experience as a nurse to tackle the medical aspect of what it means to have complicated grief. I discuss the differences between normal grief and complicated grief, and the available options for effective treatments. I hope to share with others that eventually, loss and love can walk side-by-side. Life will never be the same. You will never be the same. But, you can find some happiness in life again. The Love you shared with your loved one can never be lost, it will always belong to you. You can find my book on grief, 'The Other Side of Complicated Grief,' at Amazon.com.