It’s all tiring, isn’t it? The day in, day out. The worry. The energy to quiet the inner panic. The fights to get what’s needed, when it’s needed.
You probably feel like a flat tire, lumping along the road.
Rather than continuing the lump it, visit a rest stop to get air.
At the rest stop, take a break from feeling like you have to get it all done, including the cooking and cleaning. Take...
Got Mom home, and we’re attempting to get settled in. My sister is here with me, which helps. Mom is so confused, though, she doesn’t understand that she is home. She thinks we are settling in to a new facility. It’s going to take some time…
Thank you for all the cheery messages this weekend!
Posted by
Kathy on Jan 30th, 2011 in
Kathy's Blog |
4 comments
Don’t you just love it when a day starts down hill?
As a friend reminded me though, It has no where to go but up once it reaches bottom.
I think that was supposed to be encouragement.
Today started off with a straight up strip the bed and wash the sheets before I ever got any coffee.
At least I wasn’t wet.
Right there should have signaled the tone for the day. But no, I had to be hopeful.
Frustrations...
Note- Mom passed away in her home Saturday afternoon…she would have been 90 years old Sunday. (Post was started on the 27th)…she’s missing a HUGE Party!
Happy 90th BIRTHDAY Mama Felicia!
I would like to introduce you to my Mom who was born on January 30, 1921, in the small province of Leyte, Dulag in the Philippines. Her young 18-year old eyes saw the bombing of her home town in World War II and...
Posted by
G-J on Jan 29th, 2011 in
G-J's Blog |
3 comments
I made a goal this year to update my blog at least once a week. This week’s been a pretty good week. Steve really feels like his depression has lifted. YEAH and WHEW!
Finals are over for our son, and grades seem to be posted. A wonderful first semester of high school!
This week has had a few frustrations of the type that come into even non-caregiving lives. Let’s see, there’s the frustration...
This morning on Table Talk, Bette joined us to talk about managing her guilt, getting through a tough day yesterday and her words of advice for fellow family caregivers. You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of the post.
About a year ago (almost to the day), Bette first joined us on Table Talk to talk about her guilt. At that time, Bette left the house for breaks, but guilt always accompanied her....
It’s Saturday, the day we focus on taking a few moments of happiness for ourselves. And, today, we end We Break for Winter! with a playful request: How will you play today?
Play a game, play your favorite music, play hookey from housework, play a great movie. Whatever you play, make sure it adds to your happiness.
Today’s the last chance to win one of our Super Bowl party gift baskets. So, post a comment...
Posted by
Judith on Jan 29th, 2011 in
Judith's Blog |
4 comments
The Style Crone had her outfit ready for Date Night, but it was not to be. Nelson was in a state of fatigue before his chemo infusion, so the side effects have been extremely intense for him. Watching him suffer is a blanket of sorrow. Few words are exchanged as he needs all of his resources go get through this time that feels endless. The best that I can do is be here in silence. Our home, our sanctuary, feels...
Mom was more confused again today. I took her in to her primary care doctor, who immediately admitted her to the hospital for IV antibiotics. The bacterial infection that put her in the hospital on the 7th is back.
Posted by
Bette on Jan 28th, 2011 in
Bette's Blog |
8 comments
Rees, our son, was invited, spur of the moment, to a friend’s house to play this afternoon. Our oldest daughter needed a ride to work, which left our 8 year old daughter and my mother. So…they both needed to ride along. Seems simple enough when writing, but not the case. Rees’ friend and mom came and picked him up and then I got my mother ready, and helped her to the car–takes...
The weather in winter demands we receive help. We may need help shoveling our driveway or shoveling out our car. We may need help getting from one place to the next during a snow storm. We may need help because bad weather may keep us in, when we need to get out for staples.
Could caregiving be the life’s long winter?
It seems so much easier to accept help during a snow storm than it does during caregiving....
Posted by
Kathy on Jan 28th, 2011 in
Kathy's Blog |
3 comments
Poor Hubby.
What a down turn we have taken mentally over the last few days.
Hubby gets a word or phrase in his head and for a while that’s all that comes out even though he will be talking about something completely different.
This is harder to decipher and much more frustrating for Hubby because he knows what he is saying even though he doesn’t realize the words are wrong. To him, I’m the one...
Posted by
Trish on Jan 28th, 2011 in
Trish's Blog |
2 comments
I’m on the hunt for a new Home for Robert.
Robert currently lives in a Residential Care for the Elderly in the Assisted Living portion of the facility. He has his own room with a television, mini-fridge and phone as well as his own bathroom (I’m jealous of his closet space!). Robert participates in all the activities at the facility with Bingo his absolute favorite. Whether it’s on the phone or while playing...
Posted by
Judith on Jan 27th, 2011 in
Judith's Blog |
7 comments
Vintage 60′s pink faux fur trimmed jacket-NYC flea market; 60′s pink earrings, pink/green vintage silk scarf and pink vintage gloves-estate sales; brown ankle boots-gifted; brown crocheted hat-Xeino; and outfit foundation of jeans and brown turtleneck.
After over two months without chemo because of his elevated liver lab values, Nelson is back in the ‘chair’ with the usual sounds in the ‘not so back’...
During our winter break, we’ve been out in the snow the past few days. So, now it’s time to come in for a break and a cup of hot chocolate. And, you get to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with anyone you want. Yes, anyone. Cher, Prince William, your best friend. Anyone.
So, with whom will you drink your cup of hot chocolate. And, what will you talk about? Please share in our comments section, below.
One...
Posted by
Janet on Jan 26th, 2011 in
Fifty Lunches |
1 comment
We begin this journey of gratitude at the beginning. I started my list on a spreadsheet so that I could move names around easily…but my laptop is nearly attached to my brain. You can do that, or start your list on the back of an envelope, in your journal or on the notepad in front of you. Just start.
Let your mind wander through your life’s story and notice the people who stand out because of the impact...
Posted by
Trish on Jan 26th, 2011 in
Trish's Blog |
4 comments
Kathy’s recent post about her husband’s food habits reminded me of a recent incident with Robert involving his own issue with food. Hope you can enjoy the “smile of it” (to borrow a wonderful phrase from Kathy).
“Trish. This is Robert. I am calling you and need you to call me back right away. It seems they won’t let me have any pizza. They showed me a piece of paper that says...
We as Family Caregivers make decisions and sacrifices every day in the care of our love ones. I made the decision that my 89 year old mother with dementia would live in her own home and I would take care of her with the help of a mini-staff of certified nursing assistants (CNA).
I also made the decision to stand up and fight for my mom, for example, when she was in rehab after having a total hip replacement with...
Yesterday on Your Caregiving Journey, Dr. Linda Combs joined us for a discussion of her book “The Long Good-By and Beyond.” Linda wrote the first edition of her book while caring for her mom, who had Alzheimer’s disease. You can listen to our show via the player below.
Linda and her husband left Washington, DC, to return to Linda’s hometown in North Carolina after it was evident her...
We think of dictionaries as large books which never change. In truth, dictionaries change as our language and our culture change, adding and removing words, changing and revising definitions.
You have a dictionary for caregiving, one which helps you define your role, others’ roles, your limits, your budget, your care plans, your care schedule.
And, your definitions in your dictionary will change as...
Image by L.C.Nøttaasen via Flickr
Remember what it was like to make a snow angel? You plopped backward into a snow pile, then moved your arms and legs up and down in the snow. As carefully as you could, you stood up, trying hard not to disturb your angel in the snow you just created. Then, after standing, you turned around to enjoy what you made.
Ever day, you create something just as delicate and magical...
Posted by
G-J on Jan 25th, 2011 in
G-J's Blog |
6 comments
In December, Steve and I decided he should go off Lovastatin after reading on the internet that statins effect the memory in some people. Steve was scheduled for a cholesterol test, which we had done on Saturday. The doctor called today and said that if there was no improvement in the memory, Steve needs to go back on the Lovastatin. He is restarting it tonight. Everything bad went up, and there was no improvement...
