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A gentle hand shook me awake. The practice of “shaking me awake” originated with my caregiver, Danielle, who was accompanied by her 3-year-old daughter. Elena took it upon herself to wake me up. Every morning, a tiny little hand would touch my face, followed by a whispered warning. “Five,”…

Life doesn’t always flow the way it’s supposed to, and by “flow,” I mean literally. I’ve recently been experiencing a lot of issues with my nasojejunal (NJ) tube. It’s become more difficult to place each time it needs to be exchanged. It clogs much more easily than…

I have a gift inherited from my late musician mother. Simple melodies or complete orchestral scores, favorite old songs, two-piano music we played, my own original tunes, or a conglomeration of all of the above play inside my head, on demand or out of the blue. James Taylor’s version…

Who would’ve thought that something as mundane as straws could become a hot topic? Yet in recent years, they’ve been featured in countless news stories, sparked debate, and been targeted by well-meaning environmental movements. I like to think I know a few things about straws. I’ve been utilizing them daily…

Sobbing a blubbery and snotty cry while waiting for an elevator was likely my rock-bottom moment in January. I’d just left the interventional radiology department after another stressful procedure at the hospital. Thankfully, it went as easily as it could have, given the difficult situation. But something…

Once upon a time, I was a child who grew up with fairy tales, love songs on the radio and CDs for my Walkman, young adult romance novels, and romance dramas on TV and in films. Romance was — and is — as ubiquitous as Valentine’s Day discounts for chocolate…

The 2021 Netflix movie “Awake” imagines a world in which a mysterious catastrophe wipes out all electronics and takes away humanity’s ability to sleep. Mass hysteria ensues within hours of this apocalyptic event, as people long to let their minds and bodies rest. Citizens turn against one another,…

“It won’t be this way forever, right?” This has become a sort of refrain for my dad and me over the past couple of years. Whenever we’re overwhelmed, we turn to each other and ask for confirmation. Whatever we’re struggling with in the moment, whatever has us down for the…

Weeks ago, when I had the idea to write a monthlong series on limiting stories, I identified three areas of interest: my love life, my friendships, and my career. In my mind, this series was an opportunity to dig deep. What stories have I been telling myself, and how…

Have you ever felt like there could be someone spying on you by listening to your private conversations? Well, perhaps that sensation is being caused by your virtual assistant. Yes, I’m talking about those helpful little devices that sit on the corner of the table or dwell in your smartphone’s…