I'm so very sorry for your loss. I remember 3, 6 and 9 being touch. Then the lead up to the year. For me, the date held a lot of energy for a long time. My family couldn't be bothered to remember even though I asked them to. I had a friend who did though and I really appreciated her. That helped with the hurt. For me it helped to acknowledge the day in a small way at the start of the day. Lighting a candle, going to church or the beach, somewhere we liked together. Sometimes I just needed to sleep the day away.
Best of luck to you. You're right. The fog made things easier in the beginning. We are here for you.