There is a sad story in the news today. Yesterday a 35 year old woman, Anna Byrne, went missing - she was 38 weeks pregnant with twins. Her brother said she was 'extremely hormonal' and was worried she'd got on a ferry to the UK. Obviously all was not well.
This morning they found a body in the sea in Howth.
When I heard she was missing, and looked, I found another news story about a missing pregnant woman and was suddenly filled with alarm at the thought of women being abducted for their babies. Part of me is relieved this didn't turn out to be the case. But the rest of me... that is thinking about this poor woman so ante natally depressed she left her son in playschool and drove to the sea to end her and her babies' lives... it's so tragic. That she felt what she did and could find help. That nothing was able to make her realise it could change, that no care provider caught her depression and suggested support, something, anything. No one was able to save her from it.
Our Taoiseach berated an obstetric consultant for saying that health cuts to maternity would cost women their lives - look, Enda, it's happening already, before they've even had their baby.
I'm grateful that my thoughts of what it might be like to walk into the waves and swim until you're too tired to hold yourself up anymore have only ever just been thoughts. I can't imagine what it must be like to carry your babies and yourself out into that cold, cold water. What motivation must drive you past the fear and survival instinct. I'm grateful for any services that might have helped someone see there were other choices, that change was possible, they wouldn't feel that way forever. Where were they for Anna Byrne?
This morning they found a body in the sea in Howth.
When I heard she was missing, and looked, I found another news story about a missing pregnant woman and was suddenly filled with alarm at the thought of women being abducted for their babies. Part of me is relieved this didn't turn out to be the case. But the rest of me... that is thinking about this poor woman so ante natally depressed she left her son in playschool and drove to the sea to end her and her babies' lives... it's so tragic. That she felt what she did and could find help. That nothing was able to make her realise it could change, that no care provider caught her depression and suggested support, something, anything. No one was able to save her from it.
Our Taoiseach berated an obstetric consultant for saying that health cuts to maternity would cost women their lives - look, Enda, it's happening already, before they've even had their baby.
I'm grateful that my thoughts of what it might be like to walk into the waves and swim until you're too tired to hold yourself up anymore have only ever just been thoughts. I can't imagine what it must be like to carry your babies and yourself out into that cold, cold water. What motivation must drive you past the fear and survival instinct. I'm grateful for any services that might have helped someone see there were other choices, that change was possible, they wouldn't feel that way forever. Where were they for Anna Byrne?
No comments:
Post a Comment