Jan 4, 2024
In 'Losing James: A Military Couple’s Stillborn Story', Austin and Michelle Bowler open up about their deeply personal experience of stillbirth. As a military couple, they also discuss the unique challenges they faced, from deployment to navigating the grieving process while apart from each other. This podcast is a candid conversation about loss, grief, recovery, and the often overlooked perspective of grieving dads. They also discuss the important role of advocacy after the loss and how to navigate life after such an experience. Listening to this heart-tugging conversation may provide comfort, commiseration, or insights for others who may be dealing with similar experiences.
Chapters:
00:00
Introduction and Podcast Topic Reveal
00:15 Sharing
Personal Experiences and Grief
00:56 Trigger
Warning and Importance of Sharing Stories
01:39 Beginning
of the Personal Story: Pregnancy Announcement
02:11 Deployment
News and Gender Reveal
02:58 Uncertainty
and Changes in Deployment Plans
03:11 Deployment
to Chicago and Pregnancy Progress
04:25 Tragic
News: Loss of the Baby
04:30 Immediate
Reactions and Emergency Leave
05:41 Dealing
with the Aftermath Alone
06:34 Support
from Friends and Family
09:36 Unexpected
Medical Complication: Placenta Previa
12:37 Coping
Mechanisms: March Madness Brackets
14:38 Delivery
and Miracle
16:02 The
Miracle We Didn't Expect
16:56 Dealing
with Loss and Grief
17:40 Choosing
Burial and Planning a Funeral
19:32 The
Pain of Going Home Empty Handed
20:25 The
Struggle of Making Decisions in Grief
23:16 Returning
to Work After Loss
27:48 The
Importance of Acknowledging Grief
32:34 The
Challenge of Postpartum Appointments
34:23 Advocacy
and Change in the Medical System