033: From The Depths of Grief To The Highs of Pure Joy with Heather Earl

Today’s episode is a very tender story about loss, and while it might tug at your heartstrings, it’s also an incredibly inspiring story about finding joy and hope within grief.

Only three short days after taking her very first child home, Heather Earl noticed a devastating rash on her little newborn, Shealyn. After rushing to the doctor, getting redirected to the children’s ER, and having to wait two agonizing weeks for a diagnosis, her worst nightmare came true.

Shealyn was diagnosed with a rare condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa, which causes fragile, blistering skin and can be fatal. Babies with this condition have skin “as fragile as butterfly wings,” and a simple dressing change can take hours. Only 5 short months later, Shealyn sadly passed away on Thanksgiving day.

After Shealyn’s passing, Heather gave birth to three more babies; her third child, Shelby, was tragically born with the same condition and passed at 6 months old.

Through so much heartbreak and grief, Heather’s story has turned into an inspiring tale of the power of faith, hope, and acts of service.

I’m so delighted to have Heather on the show as she shares empowering advice on navigating grief, processing emotional triggers, and adapting to a “new normal.”

By giving back through acts of kindness, community service, and starting Pajama Pages-a nonprofit for children in hospitals-Heather found an incredibly healthy channel for her grief which has become a source of joy for everyone whose life she has touched.

I hope you’ll get a lot of value out of this episode and discover the power of being present, choosing joy, finding abundance, and living in a state of empathy and understanding, even in times of hardship.

Key Takeaways with Heather Earl

• The importance of having a support system, whether that is a spouse, parent, or friend.
• Leaning on faith to stay hopeful and strong in order to advocate for your children.
• How to adapt to the “new normal” of everyday life with a sick child.
• Processing emotional triggers and learning to navigate them.
• Parenting through times of grief and emotional distress.
• Healing through acts of kindness/service to others.
• Living with an empathy state of mind (choosing joy over anger)

Show Notes:

Get Full Access to the Show Notes by visiting: MatteasJoy.org/33.

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