Author, Speaker & Grief Counselor
It is that time of year again. You may find yourself more sensitive, irritable, less patient, and sad right now. The first few years after your loss, you expect to feel poorly on birthdays and holidays, mainly because others have warned you. If you feel out of sorts more than … Read the rest
This past week has been one for lots of prayer. I am a former news producer and purposely do not watch the news on a regular basis. I scan my phone when I get up and the house is quiet. Lately I have been appalled by the stories I have … Read the rest
So, I went to Maui to talk with a few folks who needed to process what happened when Lahaina burned. I stayed in South Maui, and it was eerie the first time I drove to the West Side. There are screens up along the bypass, and police spread out along … Read the rest
I know I just posted about the fire relief and grief, but Danyelle brought up a frightening truth I struggle with. The winds were so destructive the morning of the fires, and power was out in different parts of the island. Keiki were not in school as a result. Were … Read the rest
This past week has been difficult for my Lahaina Town community, ‘ohana, and dear friends. I am so grateful that my daughter Brie miraculously escaped with her inhalers and Epipen. No time for anything else. Her harrowing tale of navigating streets with downed power lines and trees, cars jammed together … Read the rest
There is no timetable for grief. No rules. No typical length of time. You are basically at the mercy of your deepest emotion. That doesn’t mean you cannot just crawl in a hole and wait it out. I have found that with grief, it’s best to face it head-on. Feel … Read the rest
I don’t usually watch regular television. We are streamers. I do like to vege out on YouTube, though, and I ran across the audition of Iam Tongi on American Idol. OMG, this kid from Kahuku, Hawaii, is fantastic. I cried right along with the judges. His dad passed, and he … Read the rest
From my experience, Team Medicine doesn’t benefit the patient. It is trendy and looks good on paper, but it sucks for patients and their families. My brother Bobby died seven years ago from a severe misdiagnosis of squamous cell skin cancer, leading to incorrect and dangerous treatments. He was a … Read the rest
I know that Memorial Day is to remember those who died while serving our country while in the military. It’s often mistaken to be the same as Veteran’s Day, but for me, it is also a reminder to remember loved ones who have died. Do what you need to do.… Read the rest
Today marks three years since my daughter, Ke’ili, was hospitalized after being in bed for five weeks thinking she had Covid. It turned out to be Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. My heart froze when she called me to say she was on her way to the ER. 30 minutes later; she … Read the rest