Homeward Bound

I have been wanting to share something of my experience, but I find it’s difficult. One of my many nieces suggested and sang “Homeward Bound” at my brother’s memorial. Here is a version of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iB0gBkad9Q&feature=autofb This is our last picture of him, taken the weekend of November 7th (Mom’s birthday), when my younger brother was visiting from the...

Blog Party Winners

While we say good-bye to our Holiday Progressive Blog Party, our winners say “hello” to gifts. Congrats to: Laura, who won yesterday’s stocking stuffed by one of Santa’s elves; Jenny, who won autographed copies of my books, The Caregiving Years, Six Stages to a Meaningful Journey and Take Comfort, Reflections of Hope for Caregivers; Sharon, who won a copy of “Fits, Starts & Matters of...

Resized and Refitted

Last week seemed to be a really challenging week for my mother and an emotional one for me. She has been struggling more with word find. She has also been looking for her “little ones” that she needed to buy Christmas gifts for. Tonight she continued to ask where her little ones were.  I asked her if she remembered their names.  She remembered my brothers’ names, but not mine, one of the...

Handling Everything Alone

Mom usually walks with the walker when the ambulette takes her home from dialysis. The walker has the seat on it.  Tonight when I looked out the window she was being wheeled in as if she was in a wheelchair. It really freaked me out.  The driver asked me to sign a sheet listing her as incoherent. He said she was very weak. I try so hard not to cry but I find myself breaking down a lot more. Today I had lunch...

A Holly Holiday

This morning on Table Talk, Holly joined us to talk about her holiday flow. You can listen to our show via the player, below. (We went over on time; our live show ended at 30 minutes, but our informal conversation continued for another 10 minutes or so on the podcast.) During our conversation, Holly and I talked about communicating a caree’s changes to visiting family members and friends. So, I wonder: How do...

A Happy Saturday to Close our Holiday Progressive Blog Party

It’s Saturday, the day we take a break from doing too much to stop for happiness. And, on this Saturday, we also close our Holiday Progressive Blog Party. It’s our last day to party! Stop by our party participants today. Congrats to Anita and Francine, who won a stocking stuffed by one of Santa’s special elves. You can win, too! Today’s the last day to win one of our stockings as well as our...

Moving to Unfear

This morning on Your Caregiving Journey, Karlin Sloan, author of the upcoming book, “Unfear: Facing Change in an Era of Uncertainty,” joined me to help us move from fear to unfear. You can listen to our show via the player, below. During our discussion, Karlin shared four practices in order to move into unfear. They are: 1. Accept the reality and focus on the future. In particular, I think it’s...

A Question

As you know, my husband has MCI. It was diagnosed about a year ago. I’ve had my doubts about the diagnosis even though we have gotten a second opinion, and Steve told me yesterday that he also doubts that diagnosis. He’s wondered if he’s had a TIA, and whether it could have gone undetected in an MRI or PET Scan. Well, this morning, actually while visiting a site I visited for the first time...

December 10

Mum passed away suddently on the 8th. She seemed fine that day and when I left for work in the morning she was eating her breakfast as usual. Throughout the day everything was normal. Then at around 4:30 p.m. she went limp and that was that. My daughter called the ambulance and they did all the procedures to resuscitate her, but to no avail. When I got home, after driving like a maniac across town, Mum had already...

Christmas Present

Tonight, we had our “adopted” daughter (our daughter’s best friend) and her three children here, as well as our daughter and her two children. They brought us dinner, and we opened presents and played with the five children. Our son joined us as well. It was a very busy, happy house. All five kids (ages three weeks to six years) tried to go over to Mom’s house next door and kiss her...

My Holiday Wishes

I usually am very much into the holiday spirit every year. I love it when Christmas and Hanukkah fall out at the same time so I can put the Christmas tree and the Menorah in the window. I love decorating. As a child we never had anything and I used to watch all the kids get presents and wished I was one of them. This year I have a different wish. Mom has been asking me what I wanted for Hanukkah. In my mind the...

This Week’s Poll: How Do You Stay Sane During the Holidays?

This week’s poll, sponsored by Caregiving.com and eCareDiary.com, asks the question I’d love to know the answer to: How do you stay sane during the holidays? How Do You Stay Sane During the Holiday Season?online...

Blog Party Update

We’re on Day Five on our Holiday Progressive Blog Party! Congrats to Holly and Sharon, who won the daily gifts for Tuesday and Wednesday. They’ll both receive a stocking stuffed by one of Santa’s special elves. You can win, too! Just share a comment on the website during our blog party, which ends Saturday, for a chance to win one of our daily gifts and one of our grand prizes. We picked up...

Christmas Past

Every year, as I decorate for Christmas at our house and Mom’s, I can’t help but think of Christmas when I was growing up. My parents provided me with an idyllic childhood. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had enough. Mom drove a school bus for 20 years to help supplement Dad’s income. Presents weren’t expensive, but were heart-felt. My favorite present ever was a doll house that...

A Sad Update from Dilys

I received an email from Dilys a few minutes ago–her mum has passed away. We all know from her blog that she provided loving care for her mum. The wake will be tonight and the funeral tomorrow. Please feel free to share your sympathies and well wishes in our comments section, below. Dilys: We’re thinking of you! Please let us know how you are doing when you...

Flowing with the Holidays

When I put these silly looking antlers on our youngest spaniel, Emma, she was such a good sport. She didn’t shake her head or try to take this ‘thing’ off her head. Emma simply put her head down and looked at me–laughing and having fun with her. Her large golden eyes, and her response, reminded me of a message for this season. Tis the season to relax and be yourself whatever that may look...

Encouragement Shines at the Top of the Tree

A day doesn’t go by where I don’t think about and miss my dad. He died in 1990 from pulmonary fibrosis. Today I was particularly melancholy about this because along with my caregiving duties for my mother, I needed to see an Elder Care Attorney to be sure that we had the proper PA forms that we needed. We haven’t been in PA too long and had a few questions. My dad would have known which...

Ask Congress to Include Family Caregiver Respite and Support in FY 2011 Funding

Jill Kagan, Chair, National Respite Coalition, provided an update on federal funding for programs that help family caregivers this morning. She’s asking everyone to contact their representatives to request that the highest level of funding for Lifespan Respite and the National Family Caregiver Support Program in Fiscal Year 2001. Per Jill, here’s what’s going on: Congress is currently considering...

December 7

This is one of my mangers (presépios) from my collection. I’ve put a few out this Christmas, all acquired in different ways and places. My daughter and I went out and bought a small artificial tree and covered it with the decorations we have collected over the years. We’re happy with it and put on the lights every evening. There are some decorations on it that are from when I was a teenager, like the...

Blog Party Update

Oh, my! Our Holiday Progressive Blog Party is keeping me fuller than a wonderful dinner. Thanks so much to all for contributing to such a great start to our party. We’re on to Day 3. Kaye and Jenny have won our first two daily gifts, created by one of Santa’s special helpers. You can win, too. Just post a comment on our site and you’ll be entered into a chance to win one of our daily gifts as well...

We Need a Little Christmas

Haul out the holly; put up the tree before my spirit falls again. Oh, sorry. The song, “We Need a Little Christmas” (WNALC) is haunting me this holiday season. The radio station that is playing nothing but Christmas music seems to be playing it every few songs when I’m listening. When we entered the art show on Sunday, Angela Lansbury was belting out WNALC. Okay, I guess I need to get up some Christmas...

Jo’s Holiday Blog Update

In my 40’s, I am a widower, single parent to two teenagers and caregiver for my mother and father both of whom are in their 80’s and have dementia. Grief, parenting, and caregiving are woven together in my journey. I’m not much of a party person but I’m enjoying the Holiday Progressive Blog, thanks again Denise. I suddenly realized something  while posting an answer on Caring.com about what I...