Coping with Grief: Day 2 - Take Care of Yourself

My bloated eyes lifted at 3:10 AM. In a beat, remembrance blurred with reality. For a moment, I forgot. Then a surge of fear accelerated my vitals as recognition supplanted REM sleep. A venous mosh pit reverberated in my chest. Numbness from sleep was replaced with unwelcomed knowing - she was gone.

I powered my laptop to reveal a private FB message, “just like you told me, take care of yourself.”

It was advice I previously provided to a dock diving idol when her puppy passed away. I am grateful for the kindhearted reminder to take my own advice after Lady Gaga's death.

When Gaga’s sire Devo passed in 2015, I glued myself to a leather chair in abject solitude. My singleton existence magnified the deafening silence of his absence. Isolation is nobody’s companion on the journey through grief. This time I would take care of myself and allow others to take care of me too.

I met a dear friend for what was intended to be routine brunch, but instead turned into a day’s long therapy session at St. Genevieve in Minneapolis. We perched by the bistro’s sundrenched window through two meal services, feeding my stomach and nourishing my soul. It was what I needed after five days of little more than Gaga’s uneaten sushi rice and a main course of sorrow. Tears interspersed dialogue as noon passed to night.

My sincere gratitude to Brie and the entire staff at St. Genevieve for graciously accommodating a grief-stricken squatter. Merci beaucoup! Your compassion is only bested by your cuisine. @stgenevieve

To Carol, I can’t find the words to thank you enough for your kindness and counsel. Nothing eradicates initial pain from loss, but a good friend can help bandage the wounds.

Take care of yourself……