Monday, February 23, 2009

Out of the Blue

I read quite a bit and watch TV even more so you'd think I'd be used to it, but even so I felt hit from all sides this weekend. See if you can find the common denominator in this book & movie.

On TV: the Ben Carson Story (movie of the book Gifted Hands- based on a true story of a pediatric neurologist who came from very humble beginnings) I saw a little bit of it but kept getting called away but I'm learning to love Cuba Gooding Jr.

New book I started reading: To See Every Bird on Earth (a father, a son and a lifelong obsession)

Yep. Babies that die in both of them.

I guess I could have seen it coming in the Ben Carson story but it wasn't one of his patients (as I would have expected), it was his wife waking him up in the middle of the night in a pool of blood to tell him she needs to go to the hospital. And the doctor coming out to tell him that they lost his twins.

The bird book really caught me off guard. The author is talking about how his grandparents met and came to this country and then when his grandmother gave birth to their first baby the doctors told the dad she had given birth to a monster and he should take the baby to the next room and leave it there. He lived 20 minutes. They named him ((Teddy)) I quit reading after this.

So many times books have babies that die in them. My favorite romance series Outlander. Pretty much any book by Jennifer Weiner (I don't remember it in In Her Shoes but I know her others)The last bookclub book my mom gave me to read (I can't even remember the title) and when she asked how I liked it I said "Couldn't get past the baby dying"

Babies die, we know that's true. So why do I feel blindsided every time I come across it in a book or movie? It was kind of a relief to switch over to watch Burn Notice (kind of a spy thriller tv show) where you know people might die but they won't likely be babies.

Any good books to recommend?

peace-
emily

5 comments:

Lea said...

Emily... I get you. I am finding the same thing. It seems every show I enjoy, every soap opera I turn on... heck anywhere I turn there is a heartbreaking story about a baby dying. Just another form of torture, I suppose.

Leanna
nicholastouch.blogspot.com

Rachel said...

I wanted to watch the Ben Carson story. I work with the father of one of his patients and he has now agreed to sit on the board of their foundation. I am lifted by the knowledge that he has been given the hands of an angel. He has thankfully kept parents from knowing our pain.

caitsmom said...

I haven't been able to read fiction in some time. And, I don't know what my problem is, but I have been reading books written by other bereaved mothers. I guess my reality isn't enough, I need to understand someone elses as well.

Ter said...

Ever since I lost my daughter I have noticed alot of babies dying in books and movies...

I should start keeping a list....

One I can think of off hand is the book "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb. and one of the Nicolas Sparks books but being after midnight I can't recall which one (I've read all his books so... ) and of course the Christmas Box book is about a 3 year old but it's still hard. I just finished Timepiece by the same author, and it is the prelude to The Christmas Box, how the widow in the Christmas Box came to meet her husband, and have her daughter and it ends aroudn the time the daughter died. I knew it was coming but omg, it really did a number on me (partly because of how it describes her dying breath and how it was almost exactly like my husband's dying breath.

Erin said...

I think the book you were talking about was "Little Earthquakes". It was kind of hard for me to read that one too.
I remember not long after Maeve died I was watching Greys Anatomy with my husband when a Dr had to tell a patient that her almost full term baby no longer had a heartbeat. They went on to show her delivering the baby in tears. I am emotional all the time and so it is not unusual for me to have to wipe a few tears during a TV show or sometimes even a commercial, but this episode had me sobbing out loud while my husband had to hold me. I think I kind of needed that release though, so its not always bad to read or watch this stuff.