Published in P.S. I Love You·PinnedMember-onlySaying Goodbye To The Other WomanI hated her with every fiber of my being. In the beginning, she was merely a symbol, a wrecking ball that invaded our family and smashed it apart. I didn’t ask her name for a long time. If I knew her name that would make her a real person who…Marriage7 min read
Published in The Virago·5 days agoMember-onlyMy Anxiety Is Almost GoneSimple tips that gave me my life back. — I used to have such bad anxiety that my body shook to the point where I could not hold a fork or a pen. I felt like I could not breathe. My heart raced 100 miles per hour, and so did the thoughts in my head. …Anxiety4 min read
Published in The Virago·Jul 16Member-onlyMy Baby Is Moving Out On His OwnHe is more than ready, but I’m not. — Shawn is my middle son. He is 20 years old and, along with his siblings, the light of my life. I honestly couldn’t imagine a better kid. When he was born, he started going and going and never stopped. His energy as a toddler exhausted me, but I secretly loved…Motherhood5 min read
Published in The Virago·Jun 3Member-onlyI Can’t Stop Thinking About Children DyingThen again, maybe I shouldn't. — My friend’s son died about a week ago. He was young, just barely a man. We used to live next to them in our old townhouse in Florida, and I met him a few times through my daughter. He helped supervise all the kids who played outside. “You don’t have…Guns5 min read
Published in The Virago·May 2Member-onlyMy Daughter Broke My Heart At The Dinner Table Last NightEven worse, she was exactly right. — I’ve never felt okay about sitting with my family at the table for dinner. It’s just the way I grew up. My mom and dad believed people should eat whatever and wherever they wanted. I don’t think we even had a dinner table. My husband, daughter and I used to…Family5 min read
Published in The Virago·Feb 26Member-onlyThe Kanye Situation Is Not FunnyIt’s time to put aside the memes and jokes. — I’m deeply embarrassed to tell you this, but I used to watch “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” as a guilty pleasure. I found it fascinating, the idea of people becoming rich and famous due to social media. It wasn’t something I found relatable at all until they aired an episode…Abuse4 min read
Published in The Virago·Feb 5Member-onlyMy Tattoo Finally Became TrueThe power of knowing who we are. — It wasn’t my first tattoo. In manic times, sometimes it just seemed like the perfect thing to do. Not to mention all the drugs in my system that made it easier to say yes. Getting a fresh tattoo was instant gratification. It buried all the sadness and guilt for a…Life Lessons5 min read
Published in The Virago·Jan 5Member-onlyWhile I’m Waiting To Be Fired, Part TwoWhen a door closed, a window opened. — I waited four days with no work for my company to tell me that I was fired. Yes, it was the Thanksgiving holiday, but I spent the whole time stressed out about whether I still had a job or not. I was happy that I was working in the medical…Work3 min read
Published in The Virago·Dec 11, 2021Member-onlyEducating “Normal” People About Mental IllnessI’m beginning to lose faith in humanity. — The following list includes a few words people have used regarding me, my mental illness, or both. “You don’t seem crazy.” “You can do a lot more every day if you just try.” “Mental illness is a choice” — my personal favorite “I get depressed about things, too, but I…Mental Health4 min read
Published in The Virago·Dec 3, 2021Member-onlyMy Mother Was Jealous Of MeShe was my mom but always my competition — Right before I turned 21 and got married for the first time, I remember going over details about the reception with my mother-in-law. I shared with her what my own mother said when I told her about it. “There might be a time during the reception when either my husband…Motherhood6 min read
