Category: kindness
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Let love win
I’ve started to write countless posts this week—in my head, on my phone, on the computer. But every time I try to put my thoughts into words, it feels insufficient. Plus, no matter how I phrase things, I fear I might add to the growing sense of division, which is basically the antithesis of why…
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2.0.2.6
Welcome to 2026! If you know me, you know I loooove me some goal setting, some personal development, some psychoanalysis. The feeling of a fresh start excites me. Many nights (since coming off Trikafta), I go to sleep giddy about waking up the next morning—excited about what the day will hold. I love sleeping, but…
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Reclaiming “How are you?”
I’m thinking about how I answer some everyday questions, like “How are you doing?” and “How’s it going?” I know the right answer is “Good!” because many people ask these questions as a substitute for saying hi—not an actual inquiry into my wellbeing. But I’m that person who may deliver an answer the asker didn’t…
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I’ve got a leg up (per doctor’s orders)
Today my leg is a little less screwed—literally. The leg I fractured (x3) last year is still quite painful, so a doctor removed four of the screws yesterday. What remains is a rod inside my tibia and a screw near my knee holding it in place. Call me Rod Drewart. Rod Screwart? Womp womp. If…
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Lung time, no update
A few weeks ago, I sent this message to my doctor. Trikafta = the “miracle drug.” I think I’m at the end of my Trikafta journey. Before I discontinue, I’d like to get some bloodwork done, particularly to gauge current liver enzyme levels and hormone levels (specifically estrodial, progesterone, testosterone, and any others that were a…
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“I love you, but…”
About a decade ago, I was standing on the beach with a couple of my uncles, enjoying the perfect balance of sunshine and breeze. As water pooled around our feet, somehow the not-relaxing topic of politics came up. In a moment of boldness, fueled by alcohol, I posed a somewhat inflammatory question: “Does it bother…
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Default setting: Compassion
You’ve probably heard the term “invisible disease,” and it means exactly what you think. Cystic fibrosis (CF), for example, is an invisible disease since it’s not perceptible with the eyes alone. People might hear me cough and wonder if I’m sick. They might see me take pills before I eat. But none of these things…
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Just July
Last week, on the first of July, my neighbor Tracy surprised me with this vase of flowers. With it was a handwritten note praising my ability to find joy in June—and encouraging others to #BeMoreLikeDrew. Her kindness made me smile, and I considered whether I should label July in some way. Genial July? Jovial July?…
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Sick of medicine. Sick without it.
I had seven voicemails when I returned home from a magical, soul-inspiring trip to Scotland in March. They were all from pharmacies. SEVEN calls about medications. I’d abruptly transitioned from fairyland back to reality. Normally I have a “whatever needs to be done” attitude when it comes to managing cystic fibrosis, but this time anger…
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Judge Ramón Alvarado ’05
I type this with tears in my eyes. They’re mostly droplets of gratitude that I had the immense pleasure of spending almost a decade of my life with Ramón. But I’ll admit that, today, some are droplets of sorrow, wishing he’d had just a little more time to enrich this world—and, selfishly, my life. One…
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Lessons from a sea turtle
As my mom and I walked along the beach one morning last week, I saw movement a few feet ahead. It was a baby sea turtle—a hatchling—flipped on his back along the shoreline. My immediate instinct was to flip him over and help him to sea, but I paused, uncertain if I’d inadvertently cause harm.…
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ExtravaGranza
As we prepared to eat at a family gathering one afternoon, the power went out. “Let’s all bow our heads,” one of my uncles started. “It’s too dark to say the blessing,” responded Gran, the queen of one-liners. Today that comedic genius, my maternal grandmother, Gran, turns 99 years old. I caught up with her…
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Did Ashton Kutcher Get Punk’d?
“I wish I could give Ashton Kutcher an update,” I sometimes think. I wanted him to know when I started performing improv.And when I got married.And when I started writing a book.And when I was widowed. I mostly wanted him to know I was alive — but not in the way preteens long for their…
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Give paws for thought
Meditation gets a bad rap sometimes. People view it as being too woo-woo or out there, shutting down at the mere mention of words like mindfulness, Zen, or spirituality. And if you’re one of those people, I get it. I used to be in that group, too. I considered meditation impractical and even a waste…
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Season’s Grievings
It’s the most wonderful time of year.* *but not for everyone I’ve intended to write this post for weeks now, but I’ve struggled with exactly what to say. I don’t want to go all BAH HUMBUG on the holidays, but it’s important to acknowledge that this time of year can feel particularly un-holly and un-jolly…