Nobody Told Me This Part: Caregiving, Loss, and What Comes Next

Episode 3: The Summer on the Couch

Why is it that you can easily summon the energy to do laundry, buy groceries, and manage your family's needs, but getting up to do something for yourself feels entirely impossible?

In this episode, Shelby opens up about her own "summer on the couch" following the loss of her husband. She shares how her late mother's blanket, alongside endless loops of Love It or List It and House Hunters, became a necessary psychological sanctuary.

If you are running on caregiver autopilot but feel completely paralyzed when it comes to your own self-care, this 10-minute episode will give your exhausted body permission to simply rest.

Episode 2: The Heavy Shadow of Relief

What happens when the caregiving stops, the paperwork slows down, and you are suddenly hit with a wave of relief?

In this episode, Shelby shares a raw, personal story about a solitary lunch at a neighborhood Chili's, a ringing phone, and the sudden, suffocating guilt that comes when the storm finally ends.

If you are struggling to balance grief with a newfound sense of peace, this 10-minute episode is a gentle reminder that your feelings are normal, valid, and a necessary part of moving forward.

Episode 1: I See You

When your caregiving journey ends, the world expects you to simply move on. On the outside, you’re doing all the things that have to be done—paying bills, managing the family, and going through the motions. But on the inside, does the spark that made you you feel completely gone?

In this very first official episode of Nobody Told Me This Part, host Shelby DellaRosa shares her personal story of caregiving for her husband, Rich, for 15 years, and the "summer on the couch" that followed his passing.

Shelby dives gently into the profound identity shift that happens when you are no longer a caregiver, why a Buffy the Vampire Slayer song perfectly captures this feeling, and why you might be feeling a confusing mix of grief, guilt, and even quiet relief.

If you feel hollow or lost today, please know: you are seen, you are understood, and you do not have to figure out what comes next alone.

Episode 0: Welcome

The host of Nobody Told Me This Part: caregiving, loss, & what comes next, Shelby DellaRosa, welcomes new guests to this podcast for caregivers who are struggling after the loss of their person.