Author: janjogar

Today, Dec. 26, 2020, is the 45th anniversary of my marriage to Jerry Vrbas. But we won’t be observing the occasion together: Nearly four years ago, I became a widow. Today, I look back on…

Being alone after death is a difficult subject. Many of us have been there. The goal of this writing is not to make anyone feel guilty when reflecting on the death of someone in a…

One of the goals of writing this blog is to explore end of life decisions and to try to understand the necessity of thoughtful pain management. In preparation for writing for this site, I have…

Written by Donna Garretson Young My brother Tom and I were two years apart in age so we shared many events, activities, interests and memories.  We were the second and third born of five children…

As told by Valerie Kurnik about the death of her father. Being at the bedside of someone we love as that person is dying is a privilege we don’t all get to share. That death…

December 10th was the sixth anniversary of the death of my mother-in-law, Velma Marjorie Moon Garretson. She was a woman with a unique fighting spirit. She insisted on living alone in a small, weathered farm…

Much has been written about grief during holidays, birthdays, and occasions special to us. These memories can bring sadness, perhaps tears, but also some laughs and good thoughts. My thoughts this morning are brought on…

I am writing as a participant in grief. My husband died of cancer at age 52. My heart was crushed when my newborn brother died when I was thirteen. I have participated in grief with…

It is difficult to know exactly where to start with sharing end of life. There are several directions that could be taken, but I think I will start early in the postings with my thoughts…

So, I want to write about loss, facing loss, living with loss, hospice, and life. What are my qualifications? Why would I want to do this? I do not have a high ranking degree with…