Meetings and Partings
June 26th, 2014Hello everyone. It’s Eric. I have some news regarding my family and Snow by Night.
On January 15, my wife and I met Elise Rose — our second daughter. She was born with a congenital heart defect. The valves of her heart were not formed right, leaving her with effectively a two-chambered heart instead of four.
Elise spent the first two months of her life in the neonatal ICU. When she stabilized in March, she came home with us for a brief eight weeks. Her broken heart kept her from doing much more than eating and sleeping. But she was a sweet thing who loved cuddles. She looked up at you with big eyes and made adorable cooing noises.
Elise had her heart surgery on June 9. The doctors reattached the valves of her heart so that it would pump properly. She came through the operation well. Over the next week, she came off all the wires, tubes, and supports. After ten days, the doctors sent her home a second time. She was on the mend and growing stronger and louder with every day. She held a rattle for the first time. I was proud of my little Rosebud who had made it through so much.
On this past Tuesday, Elise took a turn for the worse. She had been fussy all day, but when her breathing started to become labored in the evening, we took her to the hospital. There, her condition quickly worsened. Within hours, her blood oxygen plummeted and her pulse failed. Every doctor in the ER must have been in that small room, working frantically to save our little girl, but around 10:30 they were unable to resuscitate her, and she slipped away.
My wife and I took turns holding her body until it went cold. Then, in the small hours of the night, we said good-bye to our Elise Rose.
I’m going to need some time. There is much to be done over the next couple of weeks. Family and friends are coming into town. A funeral has to be planned and a burial site chosen. Also, I need time to grieve the loss of my favorite flower. To give me time to do all this, I’m extending Snow by Night’s hiatus for three more weeks until July 21. My apologies for the delay, but I hope you will understand.
We close with the last of our hiatus updates — Jacqueline’s headshots by Julie. The extended hiatus graphic above is part of the cover for Chapter 9.
that is so awful – unspeakable. I am glad you have each other and your first child for comfort – and I don’t think you should worry for one minute about when the comic updates again.
I’ve been following your comic for some time now, and absolutely love it. First time poster, after reading your post, I just have to, even started crying here :o I don’t think many can imagine what you must be going through, my deepest sympathies to the both of you. I’m sure everyone will understand that you’ll need as much time as you need. I only wish there’d be anything we could do for you.
you need not apologize for living through every parent’s worst nightmare. My sincere condolences to you and your wife.
I am so sorry for you both.
No words can truely take away the pain of such a loss..
As a father myself the thought alone almost makes me cry.
My heart goes out to you.
May you and your wife find peace and comfort.
I am so glad you have fond memories. Take care and you are in our thoughts.
Hello everyone. Thank you for all the kind words and your thoughts and prayers. The funeral home put together a video from pictures of Elise. I can barely watch it. But it gives an idea of what a sweet cuddle bug she was.
I just read this, and watched her montage crying and smiling and aching forall three of you. This is too heavy a burden for any shoulders to bear. We’ll be here when (and if) you feel ready to come back.
Eric,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your little one. May God, who cares about even the birds of the air, comfort you. Praying for you and your wife.
Well, who cares what we all think of the hiatus!
Be well, be good to each other, and honor her memory with your lives.
We will all be praying for you and your families in this difficult time.
Please, if there’s anything we can do for you and your family, be brazen enough to let us know. We’ll do what we are able.
Oh man. Good gods, I am SO sorry. Yeah I know, you’re gonna hear it a lot, but I am so very, very sorry that this happened to you and your family. Gods help you and your family along in this time.
I am so sorry!
May God help you thru this.
I grieve with thee
By the gods I am so sorry to hear that man!
Take all the time you need and take care of you and your wife. This is among the worst things that can happen to a parent you have my condolences.
Take care!
my condolences. take all the time you need and hope to see this wonderful comic back on it’s feet
I’m so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I weep with you. Take the time you need to grieve and heal. Remember the joys she brought you. Return when you are ready. <3
Forget about us and screw the comic, you take as long as you need and don’t apologise for a second of it.
I agree with Quaid. Please do not apologize. Few things in life can rival what you and your family are going through. Your loss touches us, too, and my heart goes out to you. I bet Elise Rose was just the prettiest little girl, and the time she had with you one of great happiness and joy, as she was bathed in love. Please take all the time you need to lay your little one to rest, and I pray for the grief you and your wife feel to heal, and be replaced with golden memories.
My deepest condolences. As many others have said: your family has priority, for without love, life is nothing. Find eachother, be there for eachother.
I wish you much strength and look forward to a time where your life is at a point again where you have time for Snow by Night.
W. Koster
Eric,
I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. I know as a father myself, I don’t think I can go through what you have and maintain my sanity. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Peace to you and yours.
Sorry sorry for your loss. Sending prayers. Losing a child or anyone in your family is so very difficult. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you need even more time than you’re giving yourself.
I am so so sorry for your loss. I just can’t imagine and my heart breaks for your family. Peace be with you all and take all the time you need.
Sending prayers of peace, love and healing to you and your family.
My deepest condolences to you and your family.
David and I are so sorry for your family’s loss. I know there aren’t any words that can possibly help right now, but we’re thinkiing of you.
I am so sorry for your loss. As a parent, I can’t imagine Sending thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
I am so sorry for your loss. You have my deepest sympathies.
My most heartfelt condolences to you and your lady wife. Take all the time you need. We can wait.
my deepest condolences, I have a sister who died under similar condition.
hope to see you in july 21
No words, especially those written in a comments section, can possibly offer you any real comfort. However, your fans will gladly wait, for you stories have brought us more joy than you can possibly imagine. Take your time to mourn, but also embrace the brief light and joy your little one brought into your lives and take some consolation in knowing that we as humans do not know what comes next, and anything is possible.
Of course, take all the time you need.
Actually, I am surprised you are going to resume updates so soon. I would be totally devastated. What a strong person you are..
Don’t you dare apologize, don’t you dare. There is nothing for you to feel sorry to us about. You’re going through a much harder time then most people will ever experience, you take as much time as you want and need. I will be praying for you and if I can somehow be of assistance in any way whatsoever, please let me know.
God bless you in this time of loss. I will pray for you and your family.
By all means, take all the time you need!
My condolences, to all your family and friends.
I know nothing can heal this but time. However, you have told a story I care about, and so perhaps you will allow me a small effort.
A little angel wanted so badly to see this world. She wanted it so much that she arranged to come before she was really ready.
She arrived, and she was greeted with love and attention, but she really had come before she was quite ready.
Heroic efforts were made to help her stay, and for a while, they worked.
In the time those efforts gave her, she felt love, and she heard laughter. She knew great courage, and she felt tears.
She may not have had much chance to see the world she desired.
But that won’t stop her trying.
However much time you need … take it. My heartfelt tears, sympathies, and prayers go out to you and your family.
My syphaties. It must be really hard for you right now :(
I’m very sorry for your loss.
No parent should be burdened with the horrible task of burying a child, no matter the cause.
I’m so sorry Eric. Thinking good thoughts for you and your family.
My thoughts are with you and your family. Take all the time you need; I’ll still be here when you’re back. You are in my prayers.
I’m so very sorry this happened to your family. All my warm thoughts to you all.
So sorry to hear of your loss. Our condolences to you and your wife, and our prayers for Elise Rose.
My condolences.
I understand.
All I can say – is that it is the hardest thing to be a parent and bury a child. I’m incredibly sorry for the loss. I don’t know your religion and it doesn’t matter. I love the way Aaron Freeman speaks about having a physicist speaking at your funeral. No one we love is ever really gone in the way it’s explained. I hope you find the time to read the post below. It helps me at times when I have to remember the dead I carried during my time in the Marines. I wish I could place my hand on your shoulder and remind you life is still happening. Remember your daughter at her happiest. She would want nothing else than for you to be happy for her I imagine.
https://www.facebook.com/IFeakingLoveScience/posts/586485771372438
May you and your wife find peace.
Deepest sympathies – Take all the time you need, we can wait. Heart goes out to you and all your loved ones.
Oh, no.
Eric, I’m so sorry. My heart goes out to the both of you.
My prayers are with you and your wife.
Take as much time as you need.
So sorry to hear about your loss. Praying for comfort for you and your wife.