Cancer

Why I Stopped Trying to Cherish Every Moment

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Grieving and mothering changed how I hold joy, pain, and memory—all at the same time.

Writing the Story My Mother Never Got to Tell

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Long after her death, I used the tools of journalism to reckon with memory, regret, and love.

House with darkened windows and two lighted rooms

My Landlord Died From Cancer While We Sheltered In Place Together

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What it felt like to watch her slow, surreal demise during a slow, surreal moment in the world.

sound waves

Chemo Stole My Dad’s Hearing. Then, My Daughter Heard Her First Sound.

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Our family's circular journey through cochlear implants, loss, and good vibrations.

A Person Is a World

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My mother’s death was followed closely by the pandemic — creating this strange and still and endless space in which everyone is grieving something.

Scenes from a Dead Mom Graphic Memoir

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From cliché grief remedies that actually work to 'reaction bingo,' our favorite cartoons from 'Dancing at the Pity Party'

Processing My Friend’s Death in the Sound Studio

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My podcast helped me work through who I am - and who I want to be - when I was questioning everything.

How My Dying Mom and I Learned to Meditate

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Ironically, a practice we'd always joked about brought us even closer together.

My Father’s Death Changed the Way I Think About Time

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I was always running minutes, even hours, behind. Not anymore.

My Bizarre Childhood Wish Showed Up in My Mom’s Cremains

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I found the one piece of her that didn't get scattered.

It’s The Worst Wonderful Time of The Year

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I'm heading into my first 'festive' seasonal stretch after my husband's death and have no clue what I'll do. Weirdly, that's ok.

How a Psychic Medium Broke Through My June Gloom

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An unexpected exchange reconnected me with my vivacious friend years after her death.

Laundry, Before and After

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I used to resent the endless sorting, washing and folding. Then my daughter got sick — and everything changed.

Important Guidelines for Large Adult Orphans

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On the one hand, you must become both parent and child; on the other, you may request to to be flown to Rome for a pasta dinner.

His Sister Was Dying as We Were Falling in Love

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I learned of her illness shortly after our first date. Her absence remains a presence still.

The Good Work of Providing Good Food for Solace

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Some delicious and nourishing ways to lift the burden of cooking from a grieving person's shoulders.

How I’m Dealing with Climate Grief

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Sometimes I'm grateful my mom is dead—she gets to avoid witnessing the devastation on Earth. Getting involved in climate justice has given me hope.

Why I Didn’t Post About Grandma’s Death on Facebook

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It felt like something that I was supposed to do, but it wasn’t something I wanted to do.

The Show Must Go On

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My mom’s life went dark after cancer won out. But it didn’t mean my beloved theater-going had to as well.

Mother Loss and My Lyft Driver

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I had a five star ride -- but not for the reasons I'd expected.

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