Lori15 hours ago1 minLabs JingleWe are still finding treasures on Joe’s computer that we haven’t seen before. Jeff discovered this little jingle the other day (and I can...
LoriFeb 131 minBreathe In, Breathe OutDo you ever realize you haven’t taken a breath in a while? I mean literally. I had that experience many times during Joe’s cancer...
LoriNov 23, 20211 minFine...ishI had a dream about Joe the other night. He was a little boy, about five years old. There were a lot of people milling about and Joe was...
LoriMay 21, 20212 minI Miss Your VoiceDear Joe, Guess what? Jamie’s getting married! Or maybe you already knew that? I’m not really sure how things work where you are… Anyway,...
LoriNov 24, 20202 minThoughts on HealingI was going through some personal files the other day and came across some notes from my own doctor visits during Joe’s decline and soon...
LoriSep 15, 20202 min"Fred"Get OUT! Get away from me! You’re all FIRED! Get the #&%@ OUT! Joe’s hospital roommate—we’ll call him Fred—raged unceasingly at the...
LoriAug 11, 20202 minMaking DecisionsWhen I was a brand new mother (oh, those were thrilling, exhausting days!), I wanted so badly to do everything “right”. I read books...
LoriJul 11, 20202 minMomentary AfflictionSix years ago today, I received a phone call from a doctor who told me my son had an aggressive, inoperable brain tumor. These...
LoriMay 14, 20203 minMany MerciesI belong to an online group for people who have lost family members to glioblastoma. As I read about the distress these dear people...
LoriMar 29, 20202 minLoss and DeterminationOver the course of Joe’s three-year cancer journey, he was forced to give up many things: driving, marital arts, long hikes, leading...
LoriFeb 7, 20202 minMy Family (by Joe Fischer)Here’s another gem I came across the other day. I believe Joe wrote this in early 2014 (just before his diagnosis): My Family by Joe...
LoriJan 21, 20201 minBut I Don't Feel BraveThey said I was strong But I didn’t feel strong I felt weak and tired and confused They said I was brave But I didn’t feel brave I felt...
LoriDec 25, 20191 minA Few of His Favorite ThingsI often hear the Rodgers and Hammerstein song My Favorite Things around this time of year. Not sure why it’s included with Christmas...
LoriNov 23, 20193 minLegacies and Last DaysToday I am remembering the final days of Joe’s life. We brought him home from the hospital for the last time in mid-November of 2017....
JamieNov 13, 20192 minAn Open Letter to That UCI NurseI’m sorry now that I don’t remember your name. You were on shift that day in late October when my dad, my sister, and I joined my mom...
LoriOct 22, 20191 minThe Glass HarpJoe had a fun creative streak and often recorded unusual sounds to use in his music (he called it sampling). I remember one afternoon I...
LoriAug 28, 20192 min26August 28. Another birthday… I’m sure these special days will get easier with time, but for now they still bring a tinge of sadness, and...
LoriAug 15, 20192 minMoving Forward For several years I came close to allowing myself the identity of “the mom whose son has brain cancer”. Then it was “the mom whose son...
LoriJul 18, 20192 minPeopleThe first day Joe was at UCI (the large university hospital we transferred to after a week at our small community hospital), our good...
LoriJun 16, 20192 minWhat Can I Do? The longer we live the more likely it is we will have a friend or family member who is grieving a great loss. What can you do to comfort...