Nina Norstrom

Nina Norstrom is the author of Not a Blueprint: It’s the Shoe Prints That Matter ─ A Journey Through Toxic Relationships. This author grew up in a small suburban town outside Chicago, Illinois. She received her bachelor’s degree from Concordia University. She has an extensive work history in the public sector, in the field of management. Additionally, she taught in the school system. She started journal writing to help find solace. The book, Not a Blueprint: It’s the Shoe Prints that Matter, ─ A Journey Through Toxic Relationships, is a representation of her growth and signifies a milestone in her recovery from toxic relationships, to the transition of non-toxicity. She is a passionate champion for many noteworthy causes, including those battling toxic relationships. In her quest to reach out, it's through her role in volunteering and being a participant in various walk-a-thons that she demonstrates a passion in giving. When not reading or writing, Nina can be found mountain climbing, taking long walks in a park or alongside a beach, sitting at a concert, supporting an author at a book event, traveling, and jumping in to exert her energy by doing volunteer work at a variety of venues. You can connect with Nina on her website www.ninanorstrom.com

Articles:

Forgiveness and the Shadow of Grief

Living Under the Shadow of Grief Now, I’m living my best life. There was a time when I thought I could not move out of the shadow of darkness. While grieving, some tend to live in that space for just a bit. Others do a mere stop-by, as if pausing at a stop sign, and moving on. Then there are those like me who spent [seemingly] an eternity inside the shadow of grief. Professionals have commonly given this form of grief sufferance a label. In its purity, it is classified as complicated grief. So, how does one define that complicated […]

Seeking Comfort after a Child Dies

Pain After a Child Dies I’ll say this clearly: parents aren’t expected to live to bury their children. And when we do, the impact can be heartbreaking, devastating. Although the wounds mend, they are never fully healed—especially during holidays, birthdays, graduations, wedding ceremonies, and even when embracing someone else’s child or grandchild. In the beginning, the tears flowed outwardly, but later they would flow inwardly. Eventually, I found some comfort. Certain things did help, like the day the nurse came and stated, “I wanted you to know we didn’t let her die alone. When it was time, I stayed with her […]

After Daughter Dies, Mother Heals Slowly

After a Daughter Dies The experience of my daughter’s illness and death had seemingly sent me to hell and back. I became engulfed by rage, and my depression had finally whacked me out. It meant nothing to curl into a fetal position, with my back curved, head bowed, and all limbs bent and drawn in. I could have stayed that way endlessly. I’ll say this again: parents aren’t expected to live to bury their children. And when they do, the impact can be heartbreaking, devastating. Although the wounds mend, they are never fully healed—especially during holidays, birthdays, graduations, wedding ceremonies, […]

Sitting With My Daughter’s Body

Sitting With My Daughter’s Body When we walked toward China’s room, a cold wave passed through my body. On approaching the door, I noticed it was shut. “Why, why is the door closed?” I yelled out. No one answered. Obviously, they had their reason. I entered the room. China’s eyes were closed, and her face possessed a heavenly glow. Although China had been gone for some time, her body had been untouched. Embracing her, I felt that her body temperature had dropped—the touch of her skin was cold as ice. All of us in the room, including Craig, gathered around […]

When Your Teen Daughter Clings to Life

When Your Teen Daughter Clings to Life China was readmitted to South Suburban Hospital after having been released. The fear of losing her bonded our family. Many a night, the nurses came in the room to probe their needles deep into her flesh. No matter how hard they tried, the blood that flowed through her tiny veins no longer surfaced. There she lay in a hopeless, lifeless state. The blood that dried up in her veins now filtered through her urine. The catheter bag hanging from the tubes bore a deep flush of redness. Her struggle to end it all […]

When Your Teen Daughter Becomes Ill

When Your Teen Daughter Becomes Ill China’s eagerness to attend school was overwhelming; she was excited about becoming a senior. Despite her illness, my daughter met her class assignments. The pain pierced deeper when her hair started shedding. As each strand thinned and faded away, I convinced China to wear a wig. Each morning as I combed her wig, it took a lot of strength to hold my tears back. Watching the tears running down her cheeks broke my heart. The first two weeks of school went well. China would come home happy from being with her classmates. But it […]