Episode 20. Laura in Missouri
In this episode, I talk with Laura in Missouri. Laura lost her mom to COVID in October 2021. Laura reached out to me via email and she said she wanted to tell her mom's story to share the humanity behind the pandemic. Laura's mom, Julie Yepsen, was a wife for over 40 years, she was a mother and she was Grandma Julie to her six grandkids. She was a giving, caring human and she died of COVID during a time in our history when her choices could be questioned. This episode is Laura's beautiful tribute to her mother and also a loving way for her to reach out to others who might be grieving alone.
When we recorded this episode and in the weeks before it was live, thousands upon thousands of people died of COVID. Each one of them had a family who loves them and grieves their loss. And those family members are now part of our COVID grief community. I don't want them to grieve in isolation. Laura decided to share her mother's story rather than grieve quietly and feeling alone.
I've included some links on COVID grief and isolation. I've also included the links to information on the national movement to make a COVID memorial day a reality. And finally a link to the bladder disease Laura's mom had.
The Atlantic article on secret grief
An NPR article on stigmatized COVID grief
COVID Memorial Day information
Interstitial Cystitis
For context on this interview and the ever-changing pandemic, we recorded this episode on February 16, 2022.
If you've lost a loved one to COVID and would like to share your story on the show, please send me an email. My email address is forthosewelostpodcast@gmail.com. Or go to the website forthosewelostpodcast.com and click on contact button and you can reach me that way as well.
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Until next time!
Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
