I’m tired of the noise.The shouting. The finger-pointing. The “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” mentality that’s swallowed this country whole. Somewhere along the way, common sense and compassion became radical concepts and that breaks my heart. I’m a values-first voter. I lean progressive on many issues but see the world through a…

Before the last thing he said to me that night — the one that wasn’t “goodnight” or “I love you,” the one that made me take a Xanax because I knew it would eat at me all night — I was thinking about how grateful I was. Grateful for him, for our life, for the…

There’s this thing hikers talk about called trail magic. It’s when a good Samaritan leaves snacks or cold drinks along the path—something a weary traveler might stumble upon when they need it most. It’s not about the snacks, really. It’s about the reminder that someone out there cares. That someone believes in what you’re doing,…

I got back Sunday from my trip to Austin with Natalie for her birthday. What a cool city. We had the best time exploring, eating, and laughing. We were asleep before 10 o’clock every night. The bed in our hotel was so comfortable we named it The Marshmallow. I swear it hugged us. We even…

Last week I kept feeling like I just wanted to call my mom. We had an interesting relationship, but I never doubted she loved me. And one of the things I miss most is having her as my sounding board. I could bitch, complain, rage, and she’d let me. Sometimes she even tried to fix…

I keep picturing my dad getting lost in the woods and me having to call friends and family to form a search party. My brain won’t stop spinning worst-case scenarios. What if he wanders? What if he falls? What if he gets behind the wheel and hurts someone? I don’t know what the hell to…

I had breakfast with my cousin Greg this weekend—which is kind of a miracle, because usually I only see him at funerals or weddings. The kid grew up on the East Coast, lives in Florida now, and still somehow looks exactly like his dad. (Which is wild, considering his dad—my mom’s brother—died tragically when Greg…

This morning I dropped Frank off at the vet for his dental procedure, and I just wanted to cry. They’re cleaning his teeth, but while he’s under anesthesia, they’re also biopsying a lump in his gum that doesn’t seem dental-related. On top of that, they’re scoping his esophagus and nose to check for any blockages.…

Since we got my dad’s diagnosis—FTD—I can’t shut my brain off. The questions are endless, and the answers are few and far between. Doctors take forever to respond, and when we’re actually in the room with them, my dad hijacks the appointment. He tells stories, cracks jokes, makes light of everything. That’s just who he…

The weeks have been feeling extra long lately. By Tuesday at work, I swear it should already be Thursday. And this week started off even heavier. On Monday, we had a follow-up with my dad’s neurologist. After months of questions and confusion, we finally got the official diagnosis: FTD—frontotemporal dementia. The same thing Bruce Willis…