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Ramón’s 37th birthday fell on a Saturday, so we got to spend the entire day together. I told him we could do whatever he wanted. His...
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- Apr 7
- 2 min
My grief shoes
Flat feet and hospital floors don’t mesh. When I moved into the hospital after Ramón’s cardiac arrest in spring of 2020, my flat feet...
- Feb 16
- 3 min
Don't put the pity in serendipity (a grief no-no)
When you’ve lost a loved one, certain dates are etched in your mind. The big milestones are impossible to forget, but other, less...
- Dec 7, 2022
- 2 min
Season's Grievings
It’s the most wonderful time of year.* *but not for everyone I’ve intended to write this post for weeks now, but I’ve struggled with...
- Oct 26, 2022
- 6 min
La mademoiselle Megan
When I met Megan, she was holding a box of donuts. It was March 2021, and we were standing in my parents’ driveway, leery of COVID-19....
- Oct 20, 2022
- 2 min
27 months
"Today's date is the 20th," the poll worker announced this morning as I completed paperwork to vote in Georgia's (very important)...
- Oct 5, 2022
- 3 min
I hugged a sign.
I hugged a sign last weekend, and it hugged me back. It’s official! At this very moment, cars are driving over the Judge Ramón Alvarado...
- Sep 22, 2022
- 1 min
Remembering Ramón
I think we’ve all had the same pressing question lately: How do I live a life that's so amazing they name a bridge after me? Just...
- Sep 12, 2022
- 1 min
Stories of Grief: Drew Dotson
After losing Ramón, I began connecting with other widows on Instagram. (See? Social media has some benefits!) I stumbled upon the Forced...
- Aug 16, 2022
- 2 min
One step at a time
“Here,” an ICU nurse said as she handed me Ramón’s Fitbit. He’d just been situated in the ICU after his cardiac arrest. While they were...
- Jul 1, 2022
- 2 min
A joyful heart
When I sit down to write something grief related, I occasionally feel a twinge of worry. I’m concerned that by continuing to document my...
![[updated] Yes, I want a Fanta (Fanta). *tears*](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/031aef_9e0ede87f6744ed2aa610f48c1603f9a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/031aef_9e0ede87f6744ed2aa610f48c1603f9a~mv2.jpg)
- Jun 21, 2022
- 3 min
[updated] Yes, I want a Fanta (Fanta). *tears*
The original post has been updated below. It's no secret that I write a lot about grief — it's been a significant part of my life. Today,...
- Jun 16, 2022
- 2 min
Circle back around
This beautiful ring used to adorn my husband's hand, but now it’s in the bottom drawer of my bedside table. When Ramón was going into the...
- Jun 1, 2022
- 2 min
No caveat(s) needed
Today, as I sat on a bench in the backyard, I was overcome with gratitude. I admired a happy Noodle, a beautiful sky, plants in bloom,...
- May 7, 2022
- 1 min
Happy birthday, Your Honor!
Today this guy would have turned 43! It would have also been the three-year anniversary of his cancer diagnosis. This year, as the date...
- Apr 19, 2022
- 4 min
Breathe in gratitude
Today is one of the tougher grief milestones because it marks two years since Ramón's cardiac arrest. My hope for today is that I can...
- Apr 1, 2022
- 3 min
This is a shout-out to my grievers.
Where all my grievers at? Can I get a BOO-HOO? Just kidding. But if I were to craft a rap about grief, it would definitely start off like...
- Mar 21, 2022
- 3 min
A little birdie
I approached the window just in time to see half of my favorite tree topple to the ground. I stood there, mouth agape in disbelief, as I...
- Jan 7, 2022
- 3 min
A smidgen
As I sat down to write this post, I thought I’d start by saying, "I woke up to a text from Ramón’s brother-in-law, Steve." Then I...
- Nov 10, 2021
- 1 min
What were you wearing when ... ?
As I put on a hoodie this morning, I remembered it was the sweatshirt I was wearing when Ramón was diagnosed with leukemia. I didn’t...
My name is Drew Dotson, and my life has been anything but perfect, yet it's still perfectly beautiful. After growing up with a genetic disease, cystic fibrosis, I was blessed to meet an amazing man who loved me without bounds. Then he died.
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