Weathering the Grief Storm: Learning To THRIVE Within Loss (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781949635904)

Julie Kick never believed John would die. Told that his stage four metastatic melanoma was terminal, they trained their combined focus on beating the odds - on John becoming a medical miracle. Julie blogged about their experiences, planning to one day pen a happy ending.

In Weathering the Grief Storm, Julie lays bare the unpredictable twists and turns of her husband's cancer battle and its irrepressible impact on every aspect of their lives. From the devastating diagnosis, through debilitating treatments, and navigating one emergency after another, Julie recalls raw, very private moments with unreserved candor and vivid detail.

John dies. But the story doesn't end there. In the wake of unspeakable loss, Julie begins a profound journey toward rebirth, prompting her to reflect upon the coping mechanisms that gave her strength, grounded her in the present, and granted her permission to be vulnerable. THRIVE was Julie's lifeline throughout her years-long process of caring for John, losing him, and relearning acts of "inescapable singleness," and she knew it was a method worth sharing.

Weathering the Grief Storm is a love story, coupled with an empowering survival tool for anyone enduring the unimaginable - and wanting their own happy ending.

"Beautifully written and easy-to-read, Weathering the Grief Storm draws you in. As the story unfolds, you feel as if you are having a conversation with a friend, hearing moments so touching they give you chills. You soon realize that the lessons Julie learned are not just good advice for moving through grief, they are valuable nuggets for anyone who wants to live a more aware, centered, happy life, and THRIVE."

Dana Wilde, Bestselling Author of Train Your Brain, and Creator of The Celebrity Formula

As a recent widow, I had a hard time finding anything to read on grief and loss that resonated with my optimistic personality and the fact that, although I had NO idea HOW to grieve in the early days, I also didn't want other people's timelines and perceived "norms" to dictate how I went about my healing. I wanted to heal with intention and take on the storm sooner rather than later.

I feel like ANYONE suffering the loss of a loved one could find the common thread that I found here. This story claims only to be one woman's experience and therefore leaves us all free to enjoy it, feel alongside her, and find the commonalities for ourselves. I never felt alone while I was reading it. I am finally in good company. The author validated many things for me - things I have never heard anyone else say or "admit" about moving on, including following her own set of rules and living life on her own terms. That part is what I believe to be SO LACKING in the world when it comes to content on grief and loss. So, I am just thrilled to know that this book will be on the shelf for those of us who are committed to living our best lives, regardless of the risk and uncertainties that have affected us and surely will again, in some way.

Tara Wild (tarawild.ca)