Episode 51. Jennifer in Oregon

Since this is the last episode of season 2 and I am putting this podcast in a hiatus (possibly permanently) I wanted to tell my mom's story. Today we will be talking about my mom, Bobbie Lee, and she passed away on August 24, 2020. My mom had Alzheimer's from a Traumatic Brain Injury and she'd been in a memory care since October 2018. She was a feisty lady and general good health, despite the Alzheimer's, when her memory care was shut down to visitors due to COVID.

My mom got COVID in August 2020 in an outbreak at her memory care. It was brought in by an employee, which was one of my worst fears. She was moved to a COVID nursing home where she died about 10 days later.

This podcast has been in honor of her memory, the family members of every person I've interviewed and everyone who has died of COVID, complications, Long COVID, etc.

Yellow Heart Memorial

Rami's Heart COVID-19 Memorial

InAmerica: Flags

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, I recorded this episode on June 30, 2023.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 50. Elena and Yvette in Texas

In this episode, I will be talking with Yvette and Elena. They lost their mother, Aurora Poblano, to COVID on January 23, 2021. Their mother Aurora lived in Pasadena, Texas with Elena. Yvette reached out to me over a year ago, but they've waited to talk about their mom until they could do it together.

One important thing to know is that their mom was diagnosed with Cerebellar Degeneration when she was 35 years old. It is a genetic disorder that is inherited and if I remember correctly, at least three of her children also have this disease. I've linked to some information about this in the show notes.

Elena and Yvette's mom had a special relationship with each one of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Elena wanted me to add that her daughter Yadira and her son Javier would take turns taking their grandma to JC Penney which as her favorite store to shop, and then they would go and have breakfast at I-Hop. This was one of her favorite outings.

Yvette volunteers with the Yellow Heart Memorial and she is the founder of the San Bernadino installation of the Yellow Heart Memorial.

Elena is a volunteer for the Wall of COVID and Rose River memorial installation held in February of this year in Houston and they both have submitted their mom's name to the the Rami's Heart COVID 19 memorial and the Willow trees memorial.

Cerebellar Degeneration

Rami's Heart COVID-19 Memorial

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on May 4, 2023.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 49. Angee in Missouri

In this episode, I will be talking with Angee in Missouri. Angee lost her mom, Gloria, to Covid on February 17, 2021. Angee not only feels the grief of losing her mom, but she also deeply feels the guilt of knowing that she brought the virus home to her mom. We talk a lot about grief and guilt and healing in this episode.

Angee mentions the Yellow Heart Memorial and how connecting with others has helped her. We also talk briefly about the book, Option B, by Sheryl Sandberg. Finally, there is a bit of an up and down audio sound when Angee is speaking sometimes. I've done my best to try to edit it to be more even.

Yellow Heart Memorial
Option B book by Sheryl Sandberg 

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on March 2, 2023.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 48. Brian in Illinois

I recorded this episode with Brian in Illinois in April 2022 and it was originally supposed to be episode 28. But Brian didn't send me any photos of his mom or him and I put this show on hold. With this podcast headed into a hiatus (more on that below), I decided to air this show and I went through Brian's YouTube channel and pulled some still images from his videos and he did send me some beautiful photos a couple of weeks ago.

Brian lost his mom in June of 2021 to complications from COVID. She'd had a number of serious medical emergencies in the last ten years and when she got COVID in February of 2021, though she recovered and came home in April, the overall damage was done and she just didn't get better.  Brian has autism and PTSD and he and his mother lived together for many, many years. They were literally each other's support system. When they got COVID, they both got incredibly ill very quickly and they could not help each other. Brian and his mom were alone for three days before he called 911. Brian also has Long COVID and we spend part of this interview talking about his symptoms and his long term health challenges.

Now about the hiatus. My work has picked up a lot and I've found I have less time to work on podcast episodes and everything that goes into producing them. For that reason, I have decided to end season 2 sometime in June and I'm not currently recording any stories. If my work stays this busy, I don't know if there will be a season 3, but for right now, I'll say that I'd like to do a limited season 3 later in the fall. I appreciate everyone who has been a part of this show, who's followed the podcast online on social media and who's listened. It means so much to me and it's been a huge part of my own personal grief and healing journey. 

People's Resource Center
Brian's  YouTube channel - Artzaganza
Brian's GoFundMe

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on April 23, 2022.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

In this episode, I will be talking with Jessica in New Jersey. Jessica lost her dad, Xavier, to Covid on January 18, 2021. When she reached out to me, Jessica told me that she had not really talked about her dad and told his story in detail like this. She said she'd put it in a box but now she was ready to share. Jessica tells her dad's story and also talks about how she is healing and the things she misses the most about him. She mentions Hannah's Faces of COVID Victims drawings and the Rami's Heart Covid-19 Memorial.

Hannah's Faces of COVID
Rami's Heart COVID-19 Memorial

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on February 18, 2023.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 46. Patty in Connecticut

In this episode, I will be talking with Patty in Connecticut. Patty lost her husband, Frank, to Covid on April 22, 2020. He was 52 years old when he died and their wedding anniversary was just a few days after he passed away. In this show Patty talks about her regrets and how much she struggled with not being able to be in the hospital with her husband. She also talks about how she and her children honor Frank by telling his story and keeping his memory alive through the Yellow Heart Memorial and Rami's Heart COVID-19 memorial.

Yellow Heart Memorial

Rami's Heart COVID-19 memorial 

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 45. Christina in California

In this episode, I will be talking with Christina in California. Christina lost her dad, Raul, her brother, Raul Jr and her sister, Margie, to COVID all in January 2021. Christina was a nurse at the hospital where her family was and so she was able to see her family members and check in on them at a time when most family was not allowed in the hospitals. She recognizes the blessing this was, but also talks about the things that haunt her. Christina shares about the many memorials in the COVID community she's participated in and I've linked them below.

Finally, there is a metallic sound you can hear near the beginning of the show, just an as fyi. And throughout this episode Christina does talk about detailed medical procedures. This may be triggering for some.

Information on Valley Fever
COVID-19 Loss Support for Family & Friends
Enchanted Tea Room
Yellow Heart Memorial
Long Beach Yellow Heart Memorial
InAmerica Flags in Washington DC 
Rami's Heart COVID-19 Memorial  - Christina's family members are all in heart #6
Faces of COVID Victims 

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on February 4, 2023.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 44. Lauren in New York

In this episode, I will be talking with Lauren in New York. Lauren lost her dad, Anthony Granchelli to COVID on January 19, 2022. Lauren was on almost every call from the hospital while her dad was there and requested his medical records, which she had with her during this recording. In this episode she goes through the day-to-day of her dad's hospitalization. She also talks about her grief and how she is experiencing her Covid loss in 2022 versus how many people describe feeling early in the pandemic.

Finally, at about minute 60 of this episode we talk in detail about end of life and the effects of a long term hospitalization. This could be triggering for some. 

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on October 19, 2022.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 43. Keesha in Georgia

In this episode, I will be talking with Keesha in Georgia. Keesha lost her mom, Rita Delores Coleman, to COVID on January 13, 2022. Keesha weaves such a beautiful tribute to her mom in this show, talking about her family, her grief, and what a fighter her mom was. This is the longest episode I've recorded so far, but it's so worth the listen. Keesha talks about the dynamics of a family getting COVID, her truest feelings about that because it was a family member who brought it into her home and to her mom, and then Keesha talks about the way she grieved by trying to run from the pain until she realized she couldn't run anymore.

Keesha's podcast, From Crying Out Loud

The movie, John Q

Terrible, Thanks for Asking podcast and live show 

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on October 12, 2022.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 42. Shelly in California

In this episode, I will be talking with Shelly in California. Shelly lost her husband, Ronnie, to COVID on July 3, 2020. Shelly shares so much in this show about how she and Ronnie met and the life they were building together. Shelly and Ronnie had two dogs that were especially important to them and in this episode, if you listen you can hear one of them snoring in the background for part of the show. If you have headphones on, you'll probably hear it even more. I didn't even try to edit it out because Shelly talks about the dogs and how important they are to her now that Ronnie is gone.

After I finished editing this episode, I learned that the dog snoring in this show, Bentley, passed away. Please visit Shelly's Instagram account to see the beautiful tribute she wrote to him and her husband.

Shelly's IG account
Yellow Heart Memorial
Orange Country Museum of Art - Rose River memorial installation
Pacific Marine Animal Rescue

For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on September 26, 2022.

Support the show

If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is [email protected]. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.

This show won't ever have a paid members area or episodes you have to pay to listen to, but there are expenses with hosting a podcast. If you would like to help, please support the show.

All episodes are written and produced by me and all music is used under the protection of fair use.

Our social media accounts can be found at:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube (work in progress for the captions)

Until next time!

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.