Dealing with loss and heartbreak amidst the pandemic
Attorney Kelsey Kicklighter decided to channel her pain into a purpose.
Atlanta lawyer Kelsey Kicklighter experienced added tumult amid the uncertainty of the early months of the coronavirus pandemic: an unexpected pregnancy, marriage proposal, wedding and then a miscarriage — all with a COVID-19 backdrop.
But during that time, she found comfort in unexpected places, including at Hall Booth Smith, a southeastern law firm with offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and New York.
“When I first found out that we had lost the baby, I called our managing partner and the other partners I work with and told them,” Kicklighter said. “I am incredibly lucky because I work for a firm that’s extremely understanding.”
Her colleagues dropped off meals, offered to handle her caseload, and the firm encouraged her to take the time her family needed.
When Hall Booth Smith reopened its office toward the end of May after shuttering due to the pandemic, Kicklighter was happy to rejoin her colleagues.
A long year
During the first year of the pandemic, the attorney also moved forward with wedding plans, organizing a ceremony and finding her dress just weeks before saying “I do.”
“Usually, people space those changes out over multiple years. I decided ‘in the middle of a pandemic and within six months’ sounded like a great time to do it,” she quipped.
But 2020 threw her yet another hurdle: Her dreams for motherhood met with a new challenge.
“My husband and I are now dealing with infertility issues, which is something I think not a ton of women talk about,” Kicklighter said.
Being isolated amid the pandemic steered her toward social media, where she began to find comfort in those who shared stories of pregnancy loss and fertility difficulties.
But they never lost sight of the global upheaval.
For instance, coronavirus-related restrictions affected Kicklighter’s prenatal health care. Her first doctor’s appointment as a mom-to-be became her fiance’s last, as appointments became “patient-only.”
Those restrictions had a heart-wrenching consequence. They meant the attorney was alone when she learned of the pregnancy loss. Then, after subsequent complications, doctors admitted her to the emergency room without anyone by her side.
“We had to call my parents. My parents couldn’t come up and be with me. No one was allowed in,” she said. “My husband had to sit out in the car, outside in the parking lot of the hospital.”
Once she was on her feet again, the attorney decided to channel her pain into a purpose. She now contributes to online threads, opening up about her experience. Kicklighter said sharing stories with others not only helped her feel less alone but aided the healing process. She now wants to pay it forward.
“If I can help one person not feel alone or feel like there are other people out here who understand, that would be the best,” she said.
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