Episode 65: Zach’s Mom

Today’s guest, Robyn Karns, knows hardship – she has experienced abuse, widowhood, a miscarriage, and divorce, but 17 months ago, her life was absolutely rocked to the core. Robyn lost her firstborn and her best friend, Zach. She wondered how she would be...

Episode 62: Hannah Christine’s Mom

I have often thought how nice it would be if I could just wear a sign around my neck that said, “I am grieving. My child is dead. Be nice to me.” I think others might go out of their way to be a little more kind. They might ask if they could do an errand...

Episode 14: Derek’s Mom

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, a day in which we are supposed to feel grateful and thankful for all that we have. For a grieving parent, feeling thankful seems like a foreign concept, a distant memory. After Andy’s death, those grateful...

My Job

Recently, I have been thinking about patients whom I cared for when they died. A few of those occurred here in Grand Rapids where I have been a general pediatrician, but the majority happened during my pediatric training at the University of Iowa. I don’t...