Yesterday I wrote a pretty long post on my personal page about my mom. It had been one month since my mom passed away. I can’t believe it’s been a month. I felt compelled to share the story – to share my pain during the 36 hours before, during, and after her death. I think about how far I’ve come …
Celebrate the Good in Life
This week has been amazing. It feels like one of those weeks that starts a shift in life. For the first time in a long time, I’ve felt happy with everything I’ve done the whole week. It started with being on vacation with people I love in a place that’s calm and beautiful. Then, after weeks of moving between two …
You Will Find Yourself Again
Since my mom’s diagnosis of cancer, I always felt like I had lost pieces of myself. Since she passed away, I know for sure I have lost pieces of myself. I feel less motivated, I feel less joy, less excitement, and less gratitude for life itself. This journey has been a confusing one for me. Simple tasks become really, really …
Celebration of Life
This weekend we got to celebrate the life of my mom. We celebrated life in the most beautiful way. Typically, when people die there is a wake, a funeral and a repass. My mom was sure that she wanted none of that. My mom wanted a party where people could celebrate the life she lived. I’m so happy we were …
Let Go of What No Longer Serves You
Life is short—too short to spend time and energy on things that don’t serve us or our goals and morals. For a very long time, I believed that in order to be successful and to be happy, I had to follow a certain plan. I had to work my way up, pay my dues, live in service of other people’s …
My Mom Would Want Me to Keep Smiling
As many of you have seen through social media, my mother passed away on Wednesday, May 19th after a long, courageous fight with pancreatic cancer. We all knew my mom was going to pass soon, we were preparing to put her on hospice, so I knew it would happen soon and that she likely wouldn’t make it through the summer. …
Listen to Your Body & Mind—Give Yourself What You Need
This week, I am tired. Emotionally. Physically. Tired. My therapist told me I should journal after visits with my mom, to reflect on what I’m feeling. At this point, we are all tired. It is tiring to watch the strongest woman I know be so physically weak. It is tiring to talk and think about what’s happening to her 24/7. …
#DearCaroline on Mental Health Awareness Month
This week for #WarriorWednesday, Caroline McKeown was back with another #DearCaroline vlog for #mentalhealthawarenessmonth! She talks about how impactful it is to share your story with mental health and mental illness. Talking about mental illness helps stop the stigma, and what better time to spread awareness and start the conversation than Mental Health Awareness Month! If you would like to …
You Keep Showing Up—That’s Strength
You have good and bad days, but you keep showing up – that’s strength. These last few days with my mom has been an up and down rollercoaster. My mom made the tough, but right decision to stop treatment. Her body is weak. The chemo will likely do more harm than good. She doesn’t want to spend more time in …
The Pain Comes in Waves, But the Wave Will Pass
The pain comes in waves. Hold on and trust that this wave will pass. It has been a really hard week for my family. My mom has been in the hospital all week for various cancer-related issues and my cousin passed away after being on life support for a few days. It’s been hard to watch those around me hurting, …