One missed message. One “Oh, I didn’t know” moment. And suddenly, what should’ve been a simple birthday party turns into a full-body reminder that my nervous system is still wired for survival mode.

This episode isn’t about balloons or cake. It’s about how the smallest disruption can set off every alarm you’ve been trying to keep quiet since loss. I talk about the year mark that changed nothing, the reality of life after caregiving, and the way grief rewires you so deeply that other people’s normal will never feel like yours again.

Follow me on TikTok and Instagram, share this with someone who gets it, buy Zuma’s Magical Balloon on Amazon, or help keep the podcast going through sponsorships or donations. Because the truth is, spaces where we can tell it exactly how it is don’t build themselves — we build them together.