You were diagnosed with hydrocephalus at age 2 and had a shunt implanted in high school. Has the pandemic made life worse?
My mother, my aunt, and my grandmother all got COVID-19. My mother had a mild case, but my aunt's experience was serious, and my 91-year-old grandmother died in the hospital. My headaches were more severe and more frequent.

How is your hydrocephalus treated?
Before the shunt, I took medication and I would get a lumbar puncture when the intracranial pressure was too high. I've had a lot of problems with the shunt, but now my intracranial pressure is low. In May, my neurologist recommended Botox injections, and that has been a huge help. Now I can treat my headaches with nonprescription drugs.

You were close with your grandmother. What was she like?
She was like a second mom to me. She was the one who helped me take my first step. She made everyone feel welcome in her house, even strangers. Any guest was always offered something sweet to eat or drink. She was originally from the Dominican Republic. Around the time of her death, she lived with my aunt in an apartment near my mother and me.

What did you and your grandmother do together?
We liked to watch a Spanish show about a grandfather and granddaughter who owned and managed a coffee shop. We'd imagine that we owned a shop together. She didn't really cook, but she often made me plantains and eggs. We would play cards and dominoes and play with her puppy Loly, a Yorkie. She was very affectionate with Loly and would always let Loly kiss and lick her face.

How else was your grandmother supportive?
I was a runner in high school, and every time I came back from an event I would show her my medals and tell her how I did. She was always interested. I also had an older friend who was homeless, and I would tell my grandmother about her. She even came with me twice to meet her.

How are you dealing with your grief during the pandemic?
It's been very hard. We had a private Mass where we all practiced social distancing and wore masks. We couldn't gather afterward because my mother and aunt still had COVID-19. I had a few therapy sessions over the telephone, and I've been helping my mother emotionally. Work was initially a good distraction from my grief, but my mother really needed me to be there for her, so I resigned. When my mother cries, I tell her not to, but then I see that crying gives her relief. Other times, I suggest we watch something on television or play dominoes.

In what ways are you like your grandmother?
I would say I inherited her compassion and her ability to make other people feel better, to cheer them up. Those traits helped me in my job as a patient access representative. Sometimes patients would open up to me and tell me about their surgeries. I got to hear what they were going through, and sometimes their stories were 10 times worse than mine. That has helped put my own grief and health problems in perspective.