Welcome to "Growing Up Grieving!" I’m Cait Medugno, and in this introductory episode, I share my personal journey through grief and chronic illness. I've faced the loss of my parents and a lifelong struggle with survivor's guilt from all of the illness around me. This podcast is a safe space for sharing diverse experiences of grief.
I talk about my lifelong battle with grief, from my mother's ailments (including 2 kidney transplants, open heart surgery and years on dialysis) to my father's recent death from esophageal cancer. Grief has deeply shaped my life, leading me to spirituality as a coping mechanism. I highlight the importance of honest conversations about grief and plan to interview various guests, including family members and grief counselors, to explore how they cope with loss.
In this episode, my sister Rachel shares her experiences with Kawasaki disease and type 1 diabetes as a child. She talks about the challenges of self-care and our family's collective resilience during crises. Her account of our mother's numerous health issues and our family's support system underscores our unity in the face of adversity.
I reflect on my initial reluctance to confront illness and death, often resorting to avoidance and distraction. I discuss the therapeutic value of openly discussing my emotions, even though hospitals and funerals remain significant triggers for my anxiety.
I also share my adult life milestones, including marriage and motherhood, and the difficulties of raising children without my mother's presence. Her death prompted me to focus on self-improvement and personal growth. I acknowledge my artistic talents but realize that art is more personal and less of a career path for me.
This episode aims to explain my background, fears, and the purpose of "Growing Up Grieving." I hope the podcast will foster respect for different grief experiences and promote evolving perspectives on grieving.
Welcome back to "Growing Up Grieving" with your friend in grief, Cait Medugno.
I am honored by the overwhelming support and engagement from the first episode. Your comments, messages, and shares mean the world to me and truly affirm why I started this podcast. My goal is to connect with you on a deeply personal level, sharing my journey and inviting you into a space where we can navigate grief together.
In today’s episode, I am thrilled to introduce you to my sister Meg. Our conversation ran so deep that I had to split it into two parts! In part one, Meg recounts a pivotal moment from her childhood when she made a promise during a crisis at just nine years old. We also delve into the first deaths we experienced and Meg’s ongoing health challenges, highlighting her strength and resilience in the face of debilitating symptoms without a diagnosis.
Continuing the theme of chronic illness, I share a significant update concerning my sister Rachel's family. This news has profoundly affected our family and friends, reminding us of life’s fragility.
As we explore what "normal" means in a family constantly confronted with illness, Meg and I reflect on how chronic illness and grief reshape our perceptions and lives. We discuss how these experiences have become our normal, shaping our resilience and determination to keep moving forward despite the challenges. Stay tuned for part two, where Meg and I will discuss the night our mom passed away and the recent loss of our dad. It’s an emotional conversation you won't want to miss.
In this heartfelt episode, Meg and I revisit the night our mom passed away. We talk about the moments leading up to her death, including the pacemaker surgery that was supposed to give us more time but ultimately didn’t. We share our memories of that night—the overwhelming emotions, the difficult decision to tell her it was okay to go, and the surreal experience of telling our dad that he had done all he could for her. We also confront the guilt that lingers, especially for me, as I was out on a boat and didn’t get to say goodbye the way I had hoped...
How do we reconcile that with everything else?
In this episode, Meg and I reflect on the last seven years of our dad’s life after our mom passed away. Stepping into a new role, he challenged himself to show up for our family like never before, embodying the strength and care our mom had always provided. We discuss how he reconnected with us and our children, becoming a more present and loving father, grandfather, and uncle.
With our grief still fresh after just eight months without him, we also talk about his health struggles, including a stroke in 2019, bladder cancer, and the “absolutely curable” esophageal cancer that ultimately took his life.
We believe he chose to go on his own terms…
Trigger Warning: Death by suicide and substance abuse are mentioned in this episode.
National Suicide Prevention (USA): Dial 988
Maternal Mental Health hotline (USA): 1-833-TLC-MAMA
In this episode I speak with Heather Martin, RMA and Maternal Mental Health advocate from New Hampshire who has dedicated her career to helping support moms in need of critical mental health resources. Fifteen years ago, Heather experienced the devastating loss of her sister, who died by suicide when she was three weeks postpartum. She opens up about her journey through grief, her advocacy for maternal mental health, and her vision to create a center where mothers in need can go to and easily access the support they need.
In this episode of Growing Up Grieving, Cait opens up about the intense emotions that come with grief. She talks about her experience with feeling drained and defeated in one moment, to finding moments of clarity and motivation in the next. She talks about the intense emotions that often come with grief, and how society's discomfort with them can make the process even harder.
Cait reflects on the challenges of grief, the impact of major life changes, and how grief can extend beyond losing loved ones, including friendship fallouts and family estrangement. Throughout the episode, Cait emphasizes the importance of acknowledging these feelings, taking control of your grief, and ultimately finding ways to navigate through it.
She offers listeners some practical ways to manage grief, such as changing daily routines, embracing emotional expression, and finding moments of gratitude in the pain. This solo episode is full of relatable analogies, humor, and raw honesty, as Cait continues to explore how to make use of her own grief.
Tune in to hear more about Cait's journey, her reflections on healing, and her encouragement to listeners to "make grief your b*tch."
In today’s holiday-inspired episode, I had the chance to sit down with Moira Khan, founder of GriefSpan Education in Madrid, Spain, to talk about navigating grief during the holiday season.
Moira opens up about her personal journey of loss, sharing the impact of losing both her parents and brother. We explore how their absence reshaped the holidays for her, and the profound changes that grief brings to these special times.
We also dive into holiday traditions, discussing how they evolve after a loss, and the importance of openly communicating our emotions with loved ones; You don’t need to be the life of the party.
Tune in for valuable tips on how to best support those you care about through this holiday season.
In this solo episode, I delve into my personal paranormal experiences, sharing stories of childhood spiritual connections, ghostly encounters, and even the unforgettable moment of hearing my mother call my name… after she died.
I also provide insights into the incredible reading I received from medium Tiffany Rice during her appearance on my previous show.
My belief in life after death and our lasting connection to the other side has helped me continue my relationships with my parents and loved ones who have passed.
This belief brings me comfort and greatly supports me in my journey through grief.
What do you believe? Listen to find out!
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tiffany Wachtler, the Founder and CEO of The Kindness Concierge. Tiffany launched her business after experiencing the profound loss of her mother and recognizing a gap in how people often support those in grief. Her mission centers on surrounding grieving individuals with genuine kindness—a gesture many of us aspire to but often struggle to execute in a meaningful way.
Through her unique, customizable concierge service, Tiffany offers a compassionate approach, empowering you to show support and care to loved ones in times of sorrow with thoughtfulness and sensitivity.
How can you extend kindness today? Ready for a starting point?
In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by renowned spirit medium Tiffany Rice, also known as “Spirit Tiff”!
Since childhood, I’ve felt a profound link between grief and the supernatural, and Tiffany brings a unique perspective to this connection, offering comfort and validation to those in mourning.
Together, we dive into topics like the supernatural, energy frequencies, reincarnation, and recognizing signs from spirit.
Tiffany also shares guidance on strengthening our own spiritual connections and reassures us that spirit is always near, supporting us from beyond.
In this episode, I sit down with Janice V. Johnson Dowd, LMSW, to discuss her powerful journey through grief, alcoholism, and recovery.
Janice opens up about how grief shaped her struggles with alcoholism and the pivotal moments that led her to reclaim her life through AA and grief recovery programs.
She also shares how her experiences impacted her role as a parent, offering insights into rebuilding family bonds and supporting others on their path to healing.
We also talk about her upcoming book, Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery, set to release in March 2025, which delves deeper into her story and provides tangible tools for repairing connections with loved ones after finding sobriety.
Join us for an inspiring conversation about resilience, redemption, and the transformative power of recovery.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by Anthony O’Donnell, the lead director and fourth-generation owner of O’Donnell Cremations Funerals & Celebrations in Massachusetts.
Drawing from decades of experience guiding families through some of their most challenging moments, Anthony offers a deeply personal perspective on grief.
He reflects on how this has shaped his approach to running his family business, especially after the loss of his father and mentor in 2019.
We explore the evolving role of funeral professionals, including how they are often the first to acknowledge a family’s grief, and emphasize the importance of honoring what feels right when planning a funeral or celebration of life.
Together, we challenge the stigma surrounding grief and loss, highlighting how embracing uncomfortable conversations can foster healing, maturity, and growth.
By creating a space for open dialogue, we can work toward making grief a less isolating and more supportive experience for all.
Tune in and join the conversation—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
In this episode, I am joined by Rachel Dwyer and Kendel Rogers from the 2 Girls with Grief Podcast.
Like me, they started their grief podcast this year, and they joined me to share their personal grief stories and journey’s to becoming podcasters.
Rachel and Kendel met through a grief support group, where they quickly bonded over their shared experiences of loss.
Their connection grew, and they eventually decided to create a podcast together.
We discuss their unique friendship, their podcasting adventures, and the community they’ve built, including their grief-inspired book club.
This episode is full of laughs, laid-back vibes, and plenty of real talk.
From the challenges of starting a podcast to bonding over grief, it’s a fun and honest chat that feels like hanging out with friends.
In the final episode of Season 1 of Growing Up Grieving, we’re taking a heartfelt journey through the conversations and connections that shaped this season.
Join me as I revisit some of my favorite moments and audio clips from my incredible guests, sharing their wisdom, stories, and insights on navigating life and loss.
I’ll also reflect on the lessons I’ve learned in 2024, and because no season finale is complete without a personal touch, I’m sharing my 2024 music playlist—a collection of songs that carried me through the highs, the lows, and the “I’m not crying, you’re crying” moments.
Thank you for listening, growing, and laughing (hopefully?) with me this season.
Let’s celebrate the journey and look forward to Season 2!