In this deeply personal episode, I share what it was like to get Gavin admitted to long-term cancer care—and the whirlwind that followed. From internal medicine to palliative care, social work to surgical consults, the first few days were a blur of faces and emotions.

One moment stands out: the unprofessional and dismissive physician assistant who reduced my husband’s unimaginable strength to a judgment about his inability to handle radiation. That moment helped me realize I couldn’t—and wouldn’t—leave him alone in this system. I had to become his advocate, his translator, his buffer.

This is the story of how I found my footing in the chaos. It’s about learning to trust your gut, speak up, and show up when someone you love is most vulnerable.

If you're a caregiver, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me at https://carrieseverson.com/home/ or follow me at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/

In this raw and unfiltered episode of I Saved You. Now Do the Dishes, I walk you through the moment my husband finally faced what he’d been resisting: the need for a feeding tube. What should have been a moment of compassionate care turned into something else entirely—his physician assistant laughed, told him he made her job harder, and actually said we should pray to our lucky stars she could “work her magic” to get him a feeding tube.

Unprofessional doesn’t even begin to cover it. I got in her face. I yelled. And then I got Gavin admitted to the ER. His white blood cell count was so low, the attending ER physician said Gavin's body was close to shutting down. He was checked into the long-term cancer wing.

This is a story about thresholds—of health, of patience, of love—and what happens when you’re forced to cross them all at once.

If you're a caregiver, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me at https://carrieseverson.com/home/ or follow me at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/

In this episode of the, I Saved You. Now Do the Dishes Podcast, I talk about my husband’s not-so-subtle obsession with donuts—and how chasing those sugary circles became our unexpected act of rebellion against the crushing weight of head and neck cancer. While he battled relentless pain and I tried everything to avoid pulling out the Narcan, we clung to small joys like they were life rafts. This one’s about sugar, suffering, stubbornness, and the sacred art of finding light in the small moments. Even if it involves holding onto a dumpster and puking.

I'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me at https://carrieseverson.com/home/ or follow me at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/

On this episode of I Saved You. Now, Do the Dishes podcast, I'm getting my husband connected with a palliative care team member to help manage his cancer pain.

If you've followed this season, you know what it took to get there, and the emotional weight of saying yes to more help. I talk about my exhaustion at that point and now, managing the two different forms of oxy prescribed to help him find some relief. It’s a conversation about pain, advocacy, and the strange comfort of watching someone you love finally get a break—even if it comes wrapped in a prescription bottle.

Because sometimes saving someone looks like paperwork, coordination, and a quiet moment of surrender.

Connect with me if you're on a similar path at www.carrieseverson.com or instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/

#caregiving #cancercaregivers #cancer #headandneckcancer #chemotherapysideeffects #burnoutrecovery #marriage

In this episode of I Saved You. Now, Do the Dishes., I’m sounding the alarm for caregivers walking the brutal line between cancer treatment and pain management. This one is personal. My husband had just been prescribed opioids for pain. And nobody gave him any additional or alternative instructions for days he had chemo. No one warned us about side effects chemo has with Oxy.

This episode outlines the fourth, and last time Gavin would do chemo. He refused it after this day.

During chemo, I couldn't wake him. But I knew something was wrong. He sounded different. His breathing was different. I told the nurse something was wrong but she just laughed and said, "Oh he's just out of it."

But when both his chemo bags were administered, she couldn't wake him up. She went and grabbed her boss. And the boss couldn't wake him up. They stood above him, shouting at him. "SIR. SIR. GET UP NOW."

I started slapping his bare belly. Picking his legs up and dropping them. Nothing. No response. He was breathing but couldn't wake up.

"We call this 'snowed,' the boss nurse said with a smile.

I was faced with gut-wrenching choices: have him admitted as an overdose patient, have the chemo nurse put him in unbearable pain with Narcan—or pray he could sleep it off.

I got him to open his eyes and his pupils were little dots. He looked miles away. But I chose option three. They helped me get him in the car. That night was terrifying. What followed was detox, trauma, and a complete loss of trust in his care team.

This is the story I wish I had heard before it happened to us. If you’re a caregiver or someone in treatment, please listen. This isn’t just an episode—it’s a warning sign.

Connect with me if you're on a similar path at www.carrieseverson.com or instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/

This week, I take you inside one of the hardest chapters of our journey—Week Five. My husband was deep in the trenches of treatment for head and neck cancer, and everything was unraveling. He could barely speak, eat, or drink, and his body was giving out.

As his caregiver and medical advocate, I was doing everything I could to keep him alive—but we didn’t agree on how to do that. He didn’t want a feeding tube. I knew he wouldn’t survive without one. The moment I had to tell the GI department he didn’t consent to a consult—and then found out the wait time was two months—was the moment I realized just how fragile everything had become.

This episode is about what happens when love, survival, and disagreement collide. It’s about the emotional toll of caregiving when you’re at odds with the person you’re fighting for. It’s raw, real, and a window into the quiet desperation that often gets left out of the story.

Connect with me if you're on a similar path at www.carrieseverson.com or https://www.instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/

In this episode of I Saved You. Now, Do the Dishes., I pull back the curtain on the chaotic world of cancer treatment scheduling and pain management. Spoiler: it’s less “organized care plan” and more “full-time logistical nightmare.” From juggling 12 appointments in a week to coordinating three different pharmacy pick-ups (yes, really) for five different drugs, I talk about what it’s like to be the caregiver, the calendar, and the human pharmacy technician—all while trying to make sure my husband isn’t suffering in silence.

If you’ve ever felt like managing care takes more energy than the illness itself, this one’s for you. You’re not alone. And yes, it's okay to have someone else do the damn dishes.

In this episode of the I Saved You. Now, Do the Dishes podcast, I open up about the unexpected challenges of caregiving in a hospital setting—specifically, the overwhelming and overstimulating experience of the chemo floor. From the constant beeping of machines to the emotional weight of the space, I share how it all became too much and what I did (or didn’t do) to cope. If you’ve ever felt like you were drowning in the noise and chaos of caregiving, this one’s for you. 

In this episode of I Saved You. Now, Do the Dishes., I share how I discovered unexpected silver linings throughout my husband’s cancer journey, as well as my alter ego (hello, Spicy Viking!). 

And, even though I shared the importance of finding simple joys in episode five, I dive in a bit more in this episode. Finding small, simple joys that brighten even the darkest days is important as a caregiver. 

As always, I'm raw and honest as I talk about the moments of grace that emerged from the chaos—the stolen glimmers of laughter, love, and connection that made the burden feel a little lighter. 

Whether you’re walking a similar path or seeking hope in hardship, this episode is a reminder that even in the messiest seasons, laughter and little pops of normalcy can still shine through.

In this episode of the I Saved You. Now, Do the Dishes podcast, I share my thoughts around a recent AARP article about what to know before becoming a caregiver to your spouse—and why it left me feeling disappointed. While the article offers practical insights, I thought it was insensitive and degrading toward caregivers. The raw, human reality of what it means to stand by your partner through illness is shared by every generation today. And even though there are more Baby Boomer caregivers, I'm offering insight as a Generation Xer.

I share my own experiences of caregiving, highlighting the deeply personal and often painful conversations my husband and I had to have before he began treatment. From confronting difficult truths to learning how to live in the moment, this episode offers an honest glimpse into the emotional resilience and connection it takes to navigate a life-changing diagnosis together.

If you aren't already following me on social channels, please do at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarrieseverson/.