I first learned of Dusk to Dawn Bereavement Services when First Christian Church offered a learning series on end-of-life issues. The classes covered medical, legal, physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns to help us better prepare for the last years of our lives. Cheryl Fuhrmann, grief counselor with the local nonprofit Dusk to Dawn, spoke on loss and bereavement. Grief is dark, cold, and lonely, and especially difficult when the deaths are unexpected. Having experienced a few significant losses at that time in my life, I thought how wonderful it was that such support existed in our community.
In the summer of 2018, I lost both my mom and brother in less than three months. In addition, I was transitioning my father into a new state, a new home, and around new family. I knew he and I would both benefit from grief counseling. My father died unexpectedly in the midst of our counseling. It took several sessions to accept the losses and find hope again. I had to learn how to live without three people who had always been by my side. The work was hard. I wrote for hours, prayed even more, and cried much more than I laughed, at least for the first several months. Eventually the laughter became more frequent, the overwhelming waves of loss diminished, and I started rebuilding my life and facing the many challenges life brings our way.
When I was approached about serving on the board at Dusk to Dawn, I contemplated the responsibility for quite a while before accepting. Having experienced the devastation of grief, and having accompanied friends, family members, and patients on their grief journeys, I decided this was a worthwhile use of my time and energy. Having professional grief counseling and end-of-life planning available to everyone in this community, regardless of one’s ability to pay, can make the path a little more tolerable for our neighbors, and that makes our community a better place for all of us.
Kay Nannet, RN, NP-C, is a former client and board member with Dusk-to-Dawn Bereavement Service, a local nonprofit organization providing free access to grief counseling for individuals struggling through loss. To learn more, donate, or make an appointment, call 765-376-5644, email ckfdusk2dawn@gmail.com or visit online at www.dusk-to-dawn.org The organizaion is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
