Death

It’s been a while since my last post. — It’s been a while since my last post. Luckily for me, my first year of graduate school was a healthy distractor from spending large amounts of time dwelling on my father’s somewhat recent death. 1.5 years during a pandemic doesn’t feel like a long time, but I now see my life as having two chapters: before my father…

It’s Wednesday morning which means I’ve just come from therapy. It’s also May 18th, 2022, which means it’s the 23rd anniversary of Mom’s… — It’s Wednesday morning which means I’ve just come from therapy. It’s also May 18th, 2022, which means it’s the 23rd anniversary of Mom’s death. I used to say “passing”, but that was like she was just walking by, maybe leaving the room for a minute. Which is maybe what I…

When is a child old enough to travel by themselves? — It’s part of the natural maternal instinct for mothers to want to protect their children from anything that can harm them. With that said, sometimes parents can be the ones causing the harm rather than relieving it. This can especially be the case when a couple chooses to separate or…

The anxious rhythms of end of life care — For months I’d been begging staff at my parents’ nursing home to help me get a cognitive assessment for both. I needed a word — is dementia appropriate? — for the drift I saw in my mom, my father’s conversational loops. Once I got them settled in at a nursing…

Wildlife researchers increasingly understand what causes infanticide among animals. However, they are still searching for answers as to… — Wildlife researchers increasingly understand what causes infanticide among animals. However, they are still searching for answers as to why little ones are killed by stepfathers and neighbors. The chicks open their beaks wide and squeak with all their might. An adult magpie leans over. She looks at them carefully, and…