Coping with the loss of a loved one is an emotional rollercoaster, I know for I speak from experience having lost my mother, father, and brother. Coping with the loss of your husband as your son turns five years old is the story of author and podcast guest Maria Quiban Whitsell about her new book “You Can’t Do it Alone-A Widow’s Journey through Loss, Grief, and Life After.”

In our interview with Maria she tells her story and the journey she, her husband Sean and their son Gus took when Sean was diagnosed with glioblastoma– incurable brain cancer.  Her new book entitled “You Can’t Do It Alone-A Widow’s Journey through Loss, Grief, and Life After” is her memoir about this experience.  She not only tells her heartfelt story she teaches those who read her book about things they can do to better cope with loss and grief.

One of the things Maria speaks about is acceptance and assembling her A-Team.  When Sean’s symptoms of a life-threatening illness began to appear, she says it is not uncommon for a spouse or partner to ignore or be blinded to those symptoms.  Sean changed emotionally and his mood swings were initially challenging for Maria to understand.

Within moments of learning of Sean’s diagnosis, she began to assemble her A-Team, the close family , member, and friends who would be at their side to lend systematic, unwavering support and love from that moment onward. Initially, dealing with the reality of having to find the best doctors, going through the battery of tests, and entering the onset of treatment is a full-time job. Having the ability to maintain hope that your partner might be in that ten-to-twenty-percent minority that would survive is a good coping strategy to employ during this stressful time. Coming out of denial and getting to the business of treatment is not incongruent with maintaining hope.

If you want to learn more about Maria’s new book please click here to be directed to her website.  I hope you enjoy this heartfelt and informative interview with Maria Quiban-Whitsell.