Grief Writing After a Dog Dies | Sheila Cooperman #240
Can you write your way through grief? Sheila Cooperman’s True Tail about Tucker the Boykin Spaniel suggests it can help.
When Sheila Cooperman’s husband said he wanted a dog, she said that was fine and good, but it would be HIS responsibility. Then she met Tucker, the Boykin Spaniel, and transformed into a full-fledged Dog Mom.
When Tucker died suddenly of lymphoma last year, Sheila, a teacher with decades of experience and a literacy expert, turned to writing to help herself cope. Her “Friday posts” on social media are turning into books.
Sheila’s message that “writing is for everyone; you don’t have to be a writer” is a refreshing one and much-needed for those who are going through a tough time. In fact, Sheila has realized recently that her grieving for Tucker has helped her to resolve her grief over losing her own mother to the same disease fifty years ago.
This is truly a very special episode of Dog Cancer Answers!
Join our Facebook support group at https://dogcancer.com/support
Call +1 808-868-3200 to leave a question on our Listener Line for a future show!
Related Videos:
Dr. Dressler’s biggest signs that a dog is nearing the end of their life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff4zmrzS0Mk
Wendy Van de Poll on how to cope and prepare for your dog’s death:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Bh1wIp5bY
Related Links:
A Tucker story reprinted with permission from Dr. Sheila Cooperman on DogCancer.com: https://www.dogcancer.com/perspectives/hospice-and-end-of-life/tucker-week-22/
Just one of the beautiful Tucker posts in our support group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogcancersupport/permalink/3538454839753356/
Everything-Lymphoma article on DogCancer.com: https://www.dogcancer.com/articles/types-of-dog-cancer/lymphoma-in-dogs/
A helpful perspective on how to know your dog is near the end of their life: https://www.dogcancer.com/perspectives/hospice-and-end-of-life/warning-signs-dog-is-dying/
The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality & Longevity by Dr. Demian Dressler and Dr. Susan Ettinger, DVM, Dip. ACVIM (Oncology) is available everywhere books are sold and on https://dogcancerbook.com
Chapters:
00:00 START
01:20 About Tucker
03:57 Discovering Tucker’s Mutated B-Cell Lymphoma
07:07 Tucker's True Tail Cancer Journey
14:41 Finding the Facebook Support Group
17:25 Finding Writing After Tucker's Passing
22:25 Writing a Book
25:44 Writing as Catharsis for Everyone, Not Just “Writers”
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Get to know Sheila Cooperman, PhD: https://www.dogcancer.com/people/sheila-cooperman-phd/
For more details, articles, podcast episodes, and quality education, go to the episode page: https://www.dogcancer.com/podcast/
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Dr. Sheila Cooperman
Grieving Dog Owner
I am a retired English Language Arts teacher with a Ph.D. in literacy. I am a proponent in 21st century literacies. I lost my beautiful Boykin Spaniel, Tucker, to virulent lymphoma in August, 2023. It is a pain unlike any other, and I am no stranger to loss. I blog about my grief journey weekly because it helps me, and I hope it helps other. I am in the process of publishing two books. One is a children's book about a dog who is an angel and helps a grieving family. The other book is an adult boo that chronicles the loss of my two mothers and my dog. Grief is Grief two legs or four.
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