After Dementia: What comes next?
Robert died almost one year ago. I have begun to catalog what I’ve learned in the last few years and what telling our story has meant to me and others…
Grief
Stories of grief and coping with the grief of losing a loved one to dementia.
My husband’s funeral unburdened my soul
Long before my husband was admitted to hospice, I purchased a cremation package for each of us. Giving head space to your death feels terribly morbid…
Relinquishing my husband’s body
I had never before seen a person just hours after they had died. I found it unbearable that my husband had left us. He wasn’t supposed to die today.
The day my husband died
My dear, sweet husband, Robert, has passed away. Our story is incomplete, but in this story, I continue the chronological unspooling of our lives…
Catching up to now…again.
Today’s story was originally published on September 4, 2023. The tale of our dear Robert is winding down.
Navigating hospice intake for my husband
How do we prepare our minds and bodies for the last six months of our loved one’s life? We can’t.
How dating brought me back to my husband
I had been so frustrated with Robert for so long that I had forgotten what a kind, gentle, man he is. I forgot that I loved him. Let me explain.
Letting Go: Part 2 – It’s time for palliative care
Our most recent visit to the clinic would turn out to be our last. Robert’s care needs haven’t changed, but transporting him to the clinic is challenging…
Letting Go: Part 1 – Black vomit
Overnight Robert threw up black vomit at 3am and 5am. Black vomit equals blood. I felt my stomach drop and willed myself to deal with what was in front of…
Reflections on being human: Part 2
In writing about my journey with my husband’s dementia I’ve had to abstract ideas before I can write about them. I’ve continued to ponder the bigger…