grief

A couple of weeks ago, I lined up a daytime caregiver for my husband, Todd, so I could take a day trip with our 14-year-old son to ski and snowboard. During the two-hour car ride, he introduced me to the “Bellied Up” podcast, a call-in advice show with comedians…

Last Friday night, I pulled a prescription bottle out of the cupboard, preparing to take my daily antidepressant — just one half-pill of the smallest dose, but that’s been enough to take the edge off and help me cope with the ongoing grief of living with my husband’s…

In the wake of ALS loss, certain touchstones bring comfort every time I think of them. This includes small things like funny photographs, private nicknames, and sentimental gifts. In grief, even a favorite old coffee mug can bring immeasurable joy. I have one additional beloved thing, too: a quotation…

“Count your blessings.” “You need to be thankful for what you do have.” People often give silver-lining advice to those facing hard things, and I’ve been on the receiving end of it since my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS. I’ve also found myself offering similar sentiments to people…

I’m weary after 13 years with the ALS of my husband, Todd. I started therapy in hopes that I’d get some help. At our first session, I told my therapist that I’d like homework, such as a journaling prompt. A couple sessions in, she pulled out…

After my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS, I was overwhelmed by grief and filled with anxiety about the future. How was I going to manage as a single parent with two small children? How would they cope with the loss of a parent? What would I do…

Last week, I set my husband, Todd, up on his computer before heading out for my weekly ukulele group. It’s difficult to leave my husband for long, because he’s paralyzed by his ALS. But my class lasts only an hour and I’d be less than 10 minutes away. In…

Every once in a while, I step onto my soapbox (mine has special safety rails) to voice my view about an important issue in the ALS community. This time, I’m here with praise for “ALS and Mental Health,” an article recently published in ALS News Today. In my…

When my two teenagers came home from school, I had them sit down to listen to the first five minutes of a recent “Freakonomics Radio” podcast episode, “Swearing Is More Important Than You Think.” The host, Stephen Dubner, is struck that there seems to be more swearing now than…

One evening, I took my daily walk in the Nara Nature Park in Houghton, Michigan. As I made my way around a network of wooden boardwalks, through a marsh, and alongside a riverbank and lakeshore, I listened to a symphony of birds. I saw a few couples walking,…