I cannot imagine what it must be like to lose a child, and my definition of child is pretty wide. If you gave birth, then that person, even as they grow up is still your child. The worries you have as they begin to have to leave your side, go to school, cross the road without you, ride their bike, and go off to town on their own do not go away you just have to learn to manage them and to be realistic about the risks.

I am the mother of an only child. I did not set out to have just one child, but at the age of 45 it is likely (well pretty definite) that he will remain as such. One child can never replace another, however I suspect that the fears I have for his safety at times might have something to do with that.

A few weeks ago a young girl of 17 disappeared. There were fears of abduction and of murder, but eventually her body was found and it seemed that she had died crossing a railway line. Today I read that her mother has been found dead near the same railway line. It is impossible to imagine the torment that women went through on losing her only child, but also impossible for me to imagine wanting to end it all in that way!