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On the right track
This is one of my favorite photos from 2022, taken in November. Yes, it’s a selfie, but this was a moment I wanted to capture. I felt so...
Feb 4, 20233 min read
Give paws for thought
Meditation gets a bad rap sometimes. People view it as being too woo-woo or out there, shutting down at the mere mention of words like...
Jan 26, 20233 min read
A semiperturbed post about a jack-in-the-box
Let me start off by saying I wrote the first draft of this post yesterday afternoon. As I worked on what I’m sure would have been a very...
Jan 20, 20232 min read
Simple + Deliberate
I get totally jazzed about the start of a new year, and I don’t care who knows it. Does that mean I’ll actually stay up until the clock...
Dec 30, 20223 min read
A flight of imagination
I have a complicated relationship with airplanes. I was once headed to NYC for a work trip and had an awful asthma attack. I was gasping...
Nov 25, 20223 min read
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 20, 20222 min read
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...
Sep 12, 20221 min read
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...
Aug 16, 20222 min read
Role reversal
EXTRA! EXTRA! I recently wrote a guest post for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Here's where to find it: Role Reversal: When Someone With...
Jul 27, 20221 min read
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...
Jul 1, 20222 min read
Down here on earth
I cut my left hand this morning. It was nothing serious, but it warranted the use of antiseptic spray. As I got the bottle out of the...
Jun 7, 20221 min read
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...
Mar 21, 20223 min read
A decade later and I'm still dancing
Ten years ago today, Ramón came to an improv show and was apparently smitten enough to send a friend request on Facebook. I accepted it...
Dec 8, 20212 min read
A nice ring to it
As the one-year anniversary of Ramón’s death approached, I went to a jeweler to get my engagement and wedding rings resized — an idea I’d...
Aug 10, 20214 min read
All is fair
Last week, after checking my temperature, the dental hygienist led me to my exam room. “How’s your husband doing?” she asked with the...
Dec 1, 20202 min read
Befores and afters
A few weeks ago, two of my long-time cohorts stopped by to enjoy drinks and conversation – and bring dinner (Yum!). My friend Amanda...
Aug 18, 20204 min read
An August of opportunity
Though I’ve been writing regularly, I haven’t posted much lately. This is mostly for good reason. For example, my friend Elaine came back...
Aug 5, 20203 min read
Day +76: Mashed potatoes
This morning, day +76, while walking the dogs, my mom turned to me and asked, “Did I tell you about the dream where I was feeding Ramón...
Jun 25, 20203 min read
Day +67: Smoother waters
It’s day +67 since Ramón’s transplant. Given that the first 100 days are critical, it’s relieving to know we’re two-thirds of the way...
Jun 16, 20202 min read
Days +5 to +8
Day +5: Window of opportunity April 15, 2020 It’s been a while since I’ve said this, but we had a good day! Though we’ve had glimpses...
Apr 18, 20205 min read
Gallery
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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