I Don't Know How You Do It

Navigating Grief and Joy Inch by Inch with Kelly Cervantes


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In May 2016, Kelly and Miguel Cervantes received two life-changing pieces of news: Miguel landed the starring role of Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton: An American Musical  and their then 7-months-old baby, Adelaide, was diagnosed with epilepsy and eventually, infantile spasms, a severe form of childhood epilepsy.

Kelly transitioned from being their family’s primary bread winner to being a stay-at-home mom/nurse/pharmacist/therapist and all the other jobs that come with parenting a medically complex child. A few years later, Adelaide passed away.

In this conversation, we talk about Kelly's journey from career woman to caregiver  while Miguel was starring in one of the most acclaimed shows of all time, how parenting Adelaide changed the way she approaches parenting her other children, and how Kelly's life's work is forever changed.

You'll learn:

1. Why it's okay if you're not okay...but also if you are...while grieving
2. The importance of recognizing and honoring life's inchstones
3. The most important superpower you can have when your life is turned upside down

Kelly Cervantes is an award-winning writer, speaker, and advocate best known for her blog, "Inchstones," where she shared the stress, love, and joy that came with parenting her medically complex daughter. Since Adelaide's passing, Kelly has continued to write candidly about her grief journey, culminating in her upcoming book, "Normal Broken."

Pre-order "Normal Broken" here
Read Kelly's blog Inchstones here

Read the poem mentioned in this conversation, "Because My Heart is Where You Now Dwell," by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

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Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

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I Don't Know How You Do ItBy Jessica Fein

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