Transitions and Earthquakes

This is a week of transitions for our family. For our son, junior high ends and high school begins. Tuesday is the promotion party, no graduation ceremony any more, and Wednesday is the last day of school. Steve’s 56th birthday is Friday. That day also marks six months since his employer put him out on disability. And the high school stuff is already starting with a band parent meeting tonight, cross...

June 14

Today we finally got to see mum’s angiologist. He took one look at mum’s swollen ankles and promptly started mumbling about thrombosis, but then he took out his machine and listened to her veins and said no, she doesn’t have thrombosis, her circulation is still quite good. So it looks like she did have erysipela as Emily (my daughter) and I suspected. He wants her to do 10 sessions of lymph...

Green

The miracle of spring is nature’s greenness. Seemingly overnight, tree’s empty branches become lush playground for leafs. The leafs’ handiwork seems miraculous. But, the work done in winter and the endurance of rain storms led to the buds, which became the blooms. The days of caregiving can feel like days of winter and then rain. You feel cold from the daily grind, the on-going losses, the...

Movie Monday: What Are You Watching?

It’s Movie Monday! On a Monday! Last week, I watched “Sunshine Cleaning” and “Smart People.” I really liked “Sunshine Cleaning” and forgot I saw “Smart People” in the theaters. “Sunshine Cleaning” starts Emily Blunt and Amy Adams as sisters starting a crime scene cleaning business. The movie features all the “S’s”–swearing,...

How… Will You Befriend Happiness Today?

On Saturdays, we talk about holding hands with happiness–finding a moment or an hour or a few hours today to know happiness. You have so many reasons to feel sad. Today, we look for the reasons to feel happy. So, today, how will you be happy? Please tell us in our comments section; when you tell, you inspire others to take action. (Editor’s Note: As you give thought to your happiness plan, be sure to...

The Return of IT

Almost two weeks ago, we visited Chad’s oncologist for a routine check-up. Bloodwork. Questions. Typical stuff; nothing out of the norm. Until the doctor asked if we had been contacted about Chad’s MRI and lab results from March. We had seen the neurosurgeon in early May (the same day as the scan, actually) and were told all was well. There was nothing to note in the MRI and his other labs and scans...

Sam…For Such a Time as This

Samson, strong and mighty, roars like a lion. Sam was born with a curved spine, his development was behind his brother and sisters.  He was a scraggly little tumbleweed looking thing running around the floor. And then, Samson grew, and he grew, and he grew. He is so handsome and has a thick, plush coat. He received lots of love and attention when he was tiny, so he is kind of spoiled now, but so sweet. Look...

Friday Fun: Give Us the Guffaws

It’s Friday, so let’s share some funnies. What’s a humorous experience that’s happened to you in your caregiving role? It could be something that happened years ago or just yesterday, as long as today it makes you giggle. We’ll giggle with you. Please share in our comments section. And, we’ll give away a We Break from Me! journal from our We Break for Me store plus an autographed copy of...

Money, Stuff and Happiness

Ellen Rogin, our wealthness expert, joined us for a discussion on Your Caregiving Journey this morning about money and happiness. You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of the post. We decided that buying stuff can’t make you happy but making thoughtful purchases can. I spoke of purchases made during a recent trip which bring me great pleasure. I’ve displayed the treasures on a table...

Family: Our Life’s Transport

Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last night. It’s a thrill for all of us. When I was a kid, I would pass my brothers’ bedroom on my way to my room at bedtime. During the winter, they would lay in bed, listening to the Blackhawks game on the radio. Once in awhile they would scream from their beds, “Score!” My sister reminded the other day that her memory of our grandfather is that he...

Tell Us: When Do You Wish for Your “Old Life”?

Maybe it lasts for a second, perhaps for a full day. It may happen at the doctor’s office or in the bathroom with your caree or late at night when you’re alone or when you receive an invitation to a friend’s celebration. You feel terrible thinking it, but you do. You want your old life back, the life before caregiving. On Thursdays, we ask you to tell us what you have difficulty telling others....

Conflicting Information

Conflicting information is a challenge. That is one of the things that makes caregiving so difficult. You’re not only making decisions that impact someone you love, the information you have frequently changes. Today, for example, I just read an article entitled, “Healthy diet could slow or reverse early effects of Alzheimer’s Disease” from Temple University. Wow! That’s great news,...

Growing Up…Is Hard To Do

My oldest daughter has the largest bedroom in the house, so her room “houses” my piano.  My dad and I both played the piano for years and when he passed away, the piano became mine. I have all kinds of wonderful memories associated with the piano, but today my daughter told me it takes up too much space and she didn’t want it in her room anymore…at first I was very hurt and after  briefly...

I Hate It!

I hate it…I hate it…I hate it….!!     When mom says,  ”I have to use the bathroom.”    Did I say I hate it??

When… Did You Decide to Remodel/Modify Your Home Because of Caregiving?

In our 2010 Annual Family Caregiver Survey, 62% of respondents said they remodeled or modified either their home or their carees’ home because of caregiving. So… when did you decide to remodel or modify your home or your caree’s? When did you know it was time?

Hot Water Warning: Burn Prevention

Burns, especially from hot water, are some of the most common injuries for people aged 65-79, resulting in about 8,600 emergency room visits annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, scalds, or burns attributed to hot liquids or steam, account for 33-58% of all patients hospitalized for burns in the United States. Older adults can be especially susceptible to scalding because...

Movie Monday on Tuesday: What Are You Watching?

This afternoon, I thought, “What a Tuesday!” Which made me think: “I missed Movie Monday!” Which led me to panic: “Is today really Tuesday? Or, is it Wednesday?” When I settled down, I confirmed it’s Tuesday which, for this week, also will double as Movie Monday. So, last week, I watched “Bella,” a very simple movie about a complicated life question: Can you...

The Memory Ensemble Debuts in Chicago June 21

If you live in the Chicagoland area and your caree suffers from both memory loss and the acting bug, consider a new eight-week program opening June 21. The Memory Ensemble, an improvisational theater program for persons with memory loss, will meet weekly for eight weeks this summer. The pilot research program, sponsored by Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center of the Northwestern University Feinberg...

Jump Right In

(Editor’s Note: Today, we welcome our newest blogger, G-J, whose husband, Steve, was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment last December. G-J, 49-years-old, and Steve, 55-years-old, are also parents of a teenager.) My family and I live in Southern California near where I grew up. I spent years taking the requisite swimming lessons and could swim to save my life, but I’m not a swimmer and would much...

This Week’s Poll: Trains, Planes or Automobiles?

This week’s poll, sponsored by Caregiving.com and eCareDiary.com, asks about which form of transportation is easiest when you travel with your caree. (Note: We’ve collaborating with eCareDiary.com on our weekly polls; I create a poll one week, then they create a poll the next. I forgot to mention to John at eCareDiary that we use the term “caree” rather than care recipient. I will for next...

“Leave of Absence” Part One

Hello everyone. I feel like I need to apologize for my time away from the site, but as soon as I do, the feeling kinda passes. I know you all understand. Still, I’m sorry my absence has been this lengthy. As you know from the last post, Gram passed away May 11th, in the evening. I was there for her last breath, as was my father. It was the most heartbreaking and painful moment of my entire life. I’d...

NCOA Co-Sponsors Town Hall on Health Reform with President Obama

As part of an ongoing commitment to providing seniors with education and improved access to benefits, National Council on Aging is co-sponsoring an interactive, televised satellite town hall meeting featuring President Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. During the live Town Hall on Tuesday, June 8, President Obama and Secretary Sebelius will take questions by phone from seniors...