Author: Joy Appel
Hello world!
My name is Joy Appel and this is my story. I’m not the kind of person who’s afraid to tell you what she’s been through. I have lived through the death of my older sister, at the age of 4, the death of my fiancé, at the age of 37—a young age for anyone to lose their partner in life. Recently I was rushed to the emergency room after accidentally consuming cheese that triggered my severe milk allergy. I’ve been through a lot in my 39 years on this earth, but I would never change it for the world.
I’m a photographer, writer, and blogger who lives in Oregon. I work full-time at a distribution center for a local hardware company for over 10 years. When I’m not at work, you can find me working on my photography business. My day job requires me to be on my feet all day long—and it doesn’t leave much time for blogging but that hasn’t stopped me from creating content for Surviving Joy. If you’re interested in my photography, check out my website here: https://www.joyallisonappelphotography.com/.
My older sister passed away from childhood cancer when I was just 4 years old. It was devastating, but also life-changing. I learned so much about courage, strength, and living every day to its fullest—and I carry that with me every single day. This experience has shaped me into the person I am today: a woman who loves with her whole heart, who wants to make a difference in this world, and who knows how to laugh at herself when things get difficult.
When I was 37 years old, my fiancé passed away from cancer. Losing him left me bereft and heartbroken. My world was turned upside down overnight, and I felt like I’d lost everything I had ever known: my partner, my best friend, and the love of my life. Living with grief and depression, I realized something: grief isn’t linear. It doesn’t follow any sort of predictable pattern or timeline; sometimes it seems like it will never end. That’s why this blog exists: because no matter what kind of grief or loss you’re going through right now (or if you’re just curious about the grieving process), it’s important to know that there are people out there who understand what you’re going through. Grief is hard and messy, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. Now, I’m going to tell you something that may sound crazy: I think that grief can actually be good for us. It makes us stronger, more resilient… but it also hurts like hell sometimes! That’s why I started Surviving Joy: so that other people who are going through difficult times can know they’re not alone.
My recent trip to the ER after accidentally ingesting milk inspired me to start this blog about Surviving Joy amidst grief, loss, depression and hope—and how those things can sometimes be intertwined in unexpected ways. My blog is all about finding joy—in life and in loss—and sharing it with others who are going through similar experiences as myself or just looking for inspiration on how to survive their own grief or loss as well as find joy within themselves again after being knocked down by life itself! As a young woman who has experienced loss and grief, I want to share my journey through joy. Surviving Joy is a blog about grief and loss, but also the power of hope and joy.
So here’s where you come in: if you’re reading this page, chances are that you’re going through something similar yourself—maybe it’s grief; maybe it’s loss; maybe it’s just one thing after another piling up until all of the weight seems unbearable… whatever it is, it hurts and it’s hard to know what to do. That’s why I started Surviving Joy: so that other people who are going through difficult times can know they’re not alone. I am a survivor! I am a survivor! And so are you.
