About
On January 15th, 2023, I watched in horror as my husband, Jay, died of cancer.
In that moment, it felt like I was having a horrible nightmare while fully awake. My life was spinning out of control, and I had absolutely no idea how I would ever get it back. IF I would ever get it back. Layered on top of the loss of control was an all-consuming sadness that was suffocating me.
I was devastated, struggling with a kind of pain that filled every cell in my body. A dear friend once said to me that it was as if someone threw a hand grenade into my future. How right he was.
Friends and family did their best to support me, but when I came down with illness and injury within weeks of Jay’s death, there was no one around in the middle of the night when I needed (urgent) help to the bathroom. I was limited by other people’s schedules to pick up food or medicine for me. There was no one to talk to, to calm me down in the middle of yet another sleepless night.
The person I needed most in the world to help me with my suffering was gone forever.
I had spent the past two decades as a holistic nutrition professional, passionate about all things wellness. After Jay died, that all changed. I started down a new path consisting of a “cheese-and-cracker” diet, washed down with bourbon or wine. Every day. Washing a piece of fruit or roasting a potato was simply overwhelming. What used to be my daily walk or bike routine was replaced by screaming with rage, throwing or punching things (mostly pillows, I’m not a total idiot), or curling up in a fetal position, buried under blankets and crying for hours at a time. Instead of my old sleep hygiene strategy, I lay awake most nights sobbing, begging for relief, for my old life back. I was a mess. And I knew in my gut from all my education, that I was heading toward a very bad place, health-wise.
After two years, I finally crawled out of the hole. I created Wellness for Widows, a platform that provides self-care strategies to help support your mind, body, and soul as you navigate the loss of your beloved partner. My knowledge and research into the horrible physical effects of grief, as well as my own fears about becoming ill or injured without Jay in my life were huge incentives. After watching him suffer horribly for 3 years, I was going to do whatever I could to avoid the same fate.
I have started a new life by taking baby steps toward health which, I believe, is helping me cope with my loss. Perhaps, through this platform, you can, too.
Professional Credentials
Academic Qualifications:
- PhD in Holistic Nutrition, Clayton College
- MS in Human Ecology and Consumer Sciences, The Ohio State University
Certifications and Licenses:
- Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition (BCHN®)
- Licensed RESTART® Instructor
Professional Training:
- Executive Coach, studied at Corporate Coach University