Episode 005: Crystal Webster & transforming grief

Crystal knows all too well how life can go from cloud nine to sub-basement in the blink of an eye. After marrying her soul mate and spending 2 years living abroad, she and her husband returned home to start their family – and instantly became pregnant. Less than a week later, her beloved aunt and uncle were tragically killed. Crystal fell into a deep depression...but was also excited to welcome a new life into the world and bring some much-needed light into her family. At 32 weeks, during a routine ultrasound, she heard the words that should never have to be uttered, “We need to speak with the doctor.” Her Madelyn Elizabeth was born two weeks later on May 19th, 2010 and died the following day in her arms. Tests confirmed that Crystal had a genetic condition that was passed to Madelyn causing her to be unable to survive on her own – and would also be passed to any of Madelyn’s siblings. Crystal and her husband thought, maybe, IVF could correct the condition. Three years and three rounds of intense IVF later and Madelyn is destined to be an only child. Madelyn’s love and legacy live on through the mission of Sharing Solace, a community of grievers for grievers. Crystal knows she is guided by her angel to help others grieve in a meaningful way and to help friends and family support their griever’s journey.

You can find Crystal in the following places:

Website - https://sharingsolace.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SharingSolaceLLC/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sharingsolace/

Show Notes:

00:09 - Purpose of podcast

00:34 - Introduction to Crystal Webster

01:28 - Crystal shares her story

02:20 - Crystal gets bad news

03:05 - The many layers of grief

04:14 - Seeking options

05:10 - Emotional rollercoaster

06:11 - Accepting reality

07:17 - More grief

08:34 - Where is Crystal now?

09:33 - Crystal finds her "new normal"

10:10 - The need to honor Madelyn's legacy

11:05 - The "how" reveals itself

12:07 - Sharing Solace is conceived

13:46 - The need for community in dealing with loss

15:44 - Crystal's biggest lesson

17:30 - Grief is a process

18:20 - Don't compare your grief to anyone else's

18:44 - Crystal's advice

22:18 - Cyrstal's tools for survival

24:06 - Gratitude for what's going right

25:41 - Positive use for "but"

26:42 - Final thoughts