EPISODE · Jun 11, 2026 · 39 MIN
When Life Changes in a Weekend — A Real Conversation About Love, Loss, and the Invisible Clock with Christina Alonzo
from Life Conversations with a Twist · host Heather Nelson
"We only get one life, and we don't know when that invisible clock is gonna run out. So you have to make time for people and for things that are important to you." — Christina AlonzoIt started as a normal weekend. By Tuesday, Christina Alonzo was sitting in an ER telling the doctor everything she had been quietly noticing for days. By Wednesday, the diagnosis was in: glioblastoma — an aggressive, inoperable brain cancer. Her husband Kurtis was 44 years old and had never even had a cold. From the date of diagnosis to the date of his death was four months.In this episode of Her Story Unscripted, Christina Alonzo returns to the podcast three years after her first appearance to share the story of the year that changed everything. She opens up about becoming Kurtis's full-time caregiver while raising a toddler, navigating impossible medical decisions, and the termination email from his employer that arrived the very night he died. She also shares the story of her 200-pound weight loss journey — and how losing the weight became something far more significant than she ever expected when Kurtis got sick. This is an honest conversation about grief, love, and what it actually looks like to keep living when someone you love is gone.For any woman who has ever taken time for granted, avoided a hard conversation, or wondered how anyone survives something this big — this episode is an unscripted reminder that life is shorter and more sacred than we let ourselves believe. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms.Connect with Heather: WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeHighlights:00:00 Cold open — Christina on the invisible clock00:49 Heather introduces Her Story Unscripted01:15 Welcoming Christina back — three years and a lot of life later02:21 The normal weekend that wasn't — Curtis gets sick5:28 The ER visit and the diagnosis — glioblastoma7:15 Choosing chemo and radiation — a hail mary for a 44-year-old in perfect health12:18 How quickly he declined, and what caregiving looked like at home14:18 Curtis's death in March 2025 — four months after diagnosis18:55 What helped Christina survive this season22:13 The termination email the night he died27:22 200 pounds lost — and how the GLP-1 journey intersected with Curtis's care25:10 How to actually show up for someone in grief36:10 Life now — Addie, memory-keeping, and saying yes38:03 Christina's one takeaway for the listener About Christina AlonzoChristina Alonzo is a mother, content creator, and Sonoma County local who has walked through more grief in the last few years than most people face in a lifetime. From losing babies to navigating a sudden and devastating brain cancer diagnosis in her husband Curtis, she has shown up with remarkable honesty and grace at every turn. In the past year and a half, she has also completed a transformative 200-pound weight loss journey that changed not just her body, but the way she moves through the world. She is raising her daughter Addie with Curtis's love still at the center of their homeInstagramSupport the show
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"We only get one life, and we don't know when that invisible clock is gonna run out. So you have to make time for people and for things that are important to you." — Christina Alonzo It started as a normal weekend. By Tuesday, Christina Alonzo was sitting in an ER telling the doctor everything she had been quietly noticing for days. By Wednesday, the diagnosis was in: glioblastoma — an aggressive, inoperable brain cancer. Her husband Kurtis was 44 years old and had never even had a cold. Fr...
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When Life Changes in a Weekend — A Real Conversation About Love, Loss, and the Invisible Clock with Christina Alonzo
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