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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...
Feb 16, 20233 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
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 26, 20226 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
October 1: Save the date!
Several months ago, a *quite* special resolution was introduced to the Georgia General Assembly: HR 918: Judge Ramón Alvarado Bridge;...
Aug 22, 20221 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
Get outta here!
Though I’m delayed, I’m sure this post will surprise just about nobody. The Braves are World Series Champions! In some ways, it feels...
Nov 6, 20214 min read
That's how this works
This day last year, Ramón walked out of our house for the last time. In the days leading up to his transplant admission, he spent more...
Apr 3, 20212 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 +100: Now we're here
Holy Day +100 since Ramón’s transplant! Exactly 100 days ago, on April 10, Ramón received his stem cell transplant. From 11:25 a.m. to...
Jul 19, 20204 min read
Day +93 (today): Hospital Day 100 (yesterday)
Today is day +93 since transplant, and yesterday was Ramón’s 100th consecutive day in the hospital. Though each individual day has felt...
Jul 12, 20202 min read
Day +83: Let non-freedom ring
“I’m not going to wear my ring, okay?” I remember Ramón asking that as we did one last sweep of the house before departing for the...
Jul 2, 20202 min read
Day +79: inTENSE
I awoke this morning with a joyous heart, knowing that Ramón is waking up in a regular hospital room; he escaped the ICU! He required...
Jun 28, 20202 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
Day +57: Breathtaking sunset
Saturday into Sunday has become my toughest time of the week. It makes me reflect on "the night" when Ramón was feeling indescribably...
Jun 6, 20201 min read
Day +46: Life is hard.
The past several weeks have been, without a doubt, the most difficult time of my life. Each day, I have been hopeful that Ramón’s status...
May 26, 20203 min read
Raise a ______ for Ramón
Happy almost birthday to this guy! It's the night before Ramón's birthday, which means it's also the eve of the one-year mark since his...
May 6, 20201 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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