S4E21 - Grief and Bereavement

This is not a teaching episode. It’s not a checklist or a tidy list of stages. It’s a story — my story — about grief, love, and the spaces in between.

In this deeply personal episode, I share the complicated grief that followed the unexpected death of my husband, David, in 1985, just two weeks after our divorce — a loss that wasn’t acknowledged but that shaped me for decades. I also speak openly about the anticipatory grief I’m experiencing now as my husband Terry, my late-life gift, faces a Parkinson’s diagnosis — and how my past informs my present.

This conversation isn’t about answers. It’s about honesty. About the scars that never fully heal. About the love that remains. And about the shared, human experience of grieving — whether the loss happened long ago, recently, or hasn’t yet happened at all.

Next week, we’ll continue the conversation with guest Prema Paxton, who transformed unimaginable loss into a mission of support for grieving parents. But for now, I invite you to sit with me in this tender space, where love and grief live side by side.

💔 If you or someone you love is struggling:

• U.S.: Dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7).

• Australia: Call Lifeline at 13 11 14 (24/7).

Explore Dying Your Way End of Life Training: https://www.dyingyourway.com/eol-training

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Take a deep breath, hold your loved ones close, and remember: You can die your way.

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