Episode 7: Crystal's Story

Episode 14: Pam’s Story Pam's mother died when she was 12 after a 4-year battle with cancer. Pam was raised by a widowed father and an older brother. Her father was so devastated that he couldn’t talk about her mom's death. When her father died 32 years later, it forced Pam to re-grieve her mother’s death and grieve her father as well. The buried emotions took a toll on her health and brought out 12-year-old Pam and all of the trauma. It was a lot of work unpacking those emotions. Pam’s Take-Away: Incorporate gratitude into your life. Practice patience and understanding for how others respond to your loss, and act the way you would like to be treated. Experience Camps on Instagram @experiencecamps All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Liz’s first loss was when her first-born daughter died shortly after birth in 2008. Then her father died in 2018 and her mother in 2020. Her mom had Alzheimer’s for years before her death and Liz really felt lost after her mom died. She has since used her grief to impact others through sharing my story and promoting health, wellness, and healing. Liz’s Take-Away: There’s a quote by Walt Disney called “Keep Moving Forward”. For grief, for life, for everything, keep moving forward. Physical and mental movement are both so important. If you keep moving forward it will be okay. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Photography: https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/ Mom Co.: https://www.themom.co/about Liz’s Podcast, Healing Hearts, can be found on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08PxtTeYYuaL31Ks1P2IYX Instagram @healing_hearts_wellness Issue 3 of Get Griefy Magazine: https://issuu.com/legacylettersjournal/docs/get_griefy_magazine_q3_2024_ All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Samantha’s mom Shari was diagnosed with terminal ocular melanoma at 55 years old. Samantha soon quit her job to be her mom’s caretaker, and they were both intentional about making the most of their relationship and living each day to the fullest. Samantha found walking alongside her mom during and to the end of her life to be the most profound and honorable experience she will ever have and continues to reflect on that time now that her mom is gone. Samantha and Shari read The Daily Stoic each morning over coffee, which can be found here: https://dailystoic.com/ All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Reese’s mom was diagnosed with early-on set Alzheimer's when Reese was 21, and passed away when Reese was 28. It was in the depths of her grief when she first picked up her pencil and began to write about her mother, the journey of Alzheimer's they took together and the journey of grief she now walks alone. You can find Reese’s spoken poetry album, “Moving With”, on Spotify or YouTube, under her pseudonym Cleo Childs: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0JMYU10WoccJRfMChTSa8U?si=l4jjwOALSQGaIJ4FFDyuSA YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nDEJgVG9hpNYMlVoe5r-KWHIhFQzbx74s&si=8iY7V4pqpogww10v You can learn more about Reese on her website: https://cleochilds.com/ And find her on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cleochildspoetry Reese’s Take-Away: Give yourself permission to not judge yourself while you go through your grief. Use creative expression in whatever way works for you, and don’t focus on it being perfect. Finally, be kind to others and yourself, which is the legacy my mother left with me. All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Robyn's mother died from stage 4 lung cancer when Robyn was 15 years old. Robyn’s mom had 10 miscarriages before Robyn, and while Robyn was a triplet in the womb, she was the only baby to survive. They had an incredibly intense relationship, as her mom didn’t understand how to handle her own emotions and put a lot of pressure on Robyn. Robyn shares part of a poem by Paula Meehan. The full poem can be found here: www.makebelieve.ie/the-pattern The woman who they met in Germany for immunotherapy was Saskia Biskup, CEO of CEGAT: www.cegat.com/about-us/team/ Robyn’s Take-Away: I hope that anyone that listens to my story, not matter what their age, can take something away from it. All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome! For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Melissa's mom died at the end of 2019 after a long journey with breast cancer. Melissa's parents divorced when she was young and it was just Melissa and her mom growing up together. Her mom had health issues and Melissa grew up always worried about her mom's health and well being. Melissa and her mom had a special bond and even though she's not physically here she taught Melissa many life lessons that help her keep her mom's presence alive in her life. Melissa’s Take-Away: There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Find a way to establish your own community and support system. It’s okay to be vulnerable and it can be very healing.  All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome! For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Ashmeeta’s first grief was when her mom died in 2008. Then her husband died from pancreatic cancer in 2019, and then her father in 2022. These life events pushed Ashmeeta deep into self-reflection and discovery and she is now an educator, grief support advocate/expert and author. Here is where you can find Ashmeeta: Website: http://www.storyoutellyourself.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashmeeta-madhav-93802922Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrowthStoryHubTwitter: https://twitter.com/homeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthstoryhub Ashmeeta’s Take-Away: No matter what challenges you face in life, you don’t have to let them define you. Try to move forward and look for help, seeking out the story that will unfold for you. Starting today the podcast schedule will be changing and new episodes will drop on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. If you are looking for more stories and content, I encourage you to go back and listen to episodes from seasons 1, 2 and 3. There are over 150 published episodes so there are many episodes to listen to.   All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome! For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Crystal’s mom died suddenly in September of 2021.  After her mother's sudden and tragic death, she made the difficult decision to leave her stable employment to pursue dreams of living life on her own terms, prioritizing her well-being and honoring her grief while taking the road less traveled.  Here is where you can find Crystal and the work she is doing: Podcast Co-Host: Meet Me at the Cottage Podcast Website: www.balancedmindjourney.com/crystal Instagram and Facebook: @yogawithcrystal0925, @cohabitatingwithgrief, @meet_me_at_the-cottage_podcast, @healingcottagedelaware Crystal’s Take-Away: It is so important to stay connected. As a person who is an introvert, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how important connection is. Healing is done in community. Find your people! They are out there.  All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

This episode was originally aired in October 2021. It's important for men to have a place to share their stories too, and all are welcome here. This episode is the story of Southofthe49th's journey with his wife after her diagnosis of a brain tumor. He does not share his identity, due to the privacy of his kids, but has learned how to use TikTok as a way to share his story and document memories for his children. You can find him on TikTok as @southofthe49th. He also recommends finding a Grief Share group for support on the grief journey. You can simply go to their website, put in your zip code, and find a meeting near you. Take-away: It's ok to be sad, but it's also ok to find joy at the same time. All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com

Kristen’s moms death left them with more questions than answers. Their family dynamic has been deeply changed and it leaves Kristen wondering what went wrong during her mom’s illness. Here is the Andrew Garfield video Kristen mentions. He talks about his mom starting at 4:21: https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/andrew-garfield-late-show-interview-on-grief-and-his-mother-48618339 Kristen’s Take-Away: Our society's view of grief troubles me as I try to make sense of what my life feels like now. It changed the way I see the world and my place in it. Thank you for having a safe space where we can come and talk and listen about these great losses in our lives.  All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!  For more of my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com