Piecing the Puzzle

“I need to gather some things and take them home,” my mother said. This is what my mother was working on tonight. Her confusion and not knowing who I am have been really hard for me. I feel like a coward every time I walk into her room. When these times come–I just cry, I can’t get a good grasp on it, and that really bothers me. Tonight I was fortunate to have a coaching call with...

Tell Us: What’s Your Six-Word Caregiving Story?

Last week, I heard about SMITH magazine, which sponsors six-word memoirs. The six-word memoirs cover most life events and emotions—about love, happiness, teens, pain and hope. Readers recently shared memories about love and loss. Some examples include: Love hurts. Choose vodka or valium. Hearts clubbed by diamonds in spades. Finally found love, at age 41. Note to self: avoid head cases. He wasn’t worth the...

How Can We Help You Cook for Your Caree?

(Editor’s Note: Today, we welcome a new blog, Cooking for Caregiving, penned by John Reaves and Liz Dreyer of Care Lab. Care Lab works to develop new ideas, products, services, partnerships, and sustainable programs that will make a difference to the community of caregivers..) We’ve begun a project we call “Cooking for Caregiving” focusing on issues related to (you guessed it!) grocery...

Can I Have My Brother, Please? Please?

New Home is starting to really get on my bad side. That’s not a good side to be on (just ask my hubby!) .  We got through the medication issues and New Home seems to be giving Robert his medicine when he’s supposed to have it. I haven’t seen the extreme seizure activity that he had and that’s the best way of confirming what they’re telling me. I also think I have finally convinced them to change his...

Showering the Baby

Kathy, Hubby and Beautiful Baby with baby <3 I’ve taken a couple three of days off from internet activity to concentrate on hosting a Baby Shower for My Baby! Hubby and I are getting ready to welcome grand(son)child #6  and we are SO excited. OK I am so excited but Hubby and I are one so We is I and He is We, you get the idea. I don’t think Hubby fully understands and if he does it’s...

Another Turn or Turns

I think we’ve reached another turning point here. I so wish these turning points were actual roads and we were on vacation! I gave my mother a shower this morning, but it took over an hour and a half. It is becoming harder and harder for her and after the shower she has to lay down for a bit. I am headed to Amazon to purchase the monitor that Kathy spoke of and Denise put on caregiving deals this week. I am...

How Long, O Lord?

Well, okay, my question is not the same as that of Habakkuk, who was in pretty dire straits waiting for his text message from God.  What has struck me this week, though, as I have read all the the stories of bloggers here, and have looked at the Lewy Body Association website, is that I might be in for a really long haul here. Some of  folks have been caregiving for 10+ years! Here I am, thinking that it’s...

What to Wear to Palliative Care

Long red sweater-TJ Maxx, black/red silk scarf-flea market, patent leather ankle boots and patent leather belt-yard sales, suede/patent leather cap-Nordstrom’s Rack, suede gloves-estate sale. Nelson and The Style Crone had a second appointment with Palliative Care this afternoon. It’s a relief to talk without restraint about end of life issues. One of the most significant concepts brought forth by the physician...

“Hmm, That’s Interesting”

When our son was young, he visited one of our local missions. A Native American woman teaches classes to preschool through elementary school aged children. When she teaches the young children, she teaches them that when they encounter something new and different, instead of saying, “Yuck”, they need to put their first finger on their chin and say, “Hmm, that’s interesting.” I decided today that this will...

When Did You Know?

Today, on Your Caregiving Journey, Trish joined me to talk about caring for her brother, Robert. You can listen to our show via the player below. You’ll enjoy listening to Trish, who shared about her childhood with Robert, the importance of advocacy and her focus on ensuring Robert has what he needs. We closed the show with a quick discussion about balance and how she works at being there for Robert while...

Solitaire Showdown is February 27!

To beat back the cabin fever, we’ve got a Solitaire Showdown competition next Sunday, February 27. And, it comes during our next Caregiving Garage Sale on SharingStore.com. To enter, just start playing our Solitaire game between Noon and 8 p.m. CT . The winner with the high score at 8 p.m. CT (9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT) will win autographed copies of my book, Good Morning! Sunny Reflections to Start Your Day....

Whirling Dervish

It’s Saturday! Today I need to: Shop: I need to hit four to five stores (pet store, discount store, drug store, large bulk items store, ?something for me?) Clean: All Floors (vacuum & mop), bathrooms, cats’ spraying, cats’ boxes & food. Cook: Meals for next week. Make copies: Church program for tomorrow. So . . . What am I doing sitting here blogging? Just wanted to take a moment before I...

“Take Comfort” Travels Across the United States: Library Project Update

(Editor’s Note: I recently shared about a project of Bette’s: Donating a copy of my book, Take Comfort, Reflections of Hope for Caregivers, to a library in every state. Here’s her update.) “Take Comfort” has definitely begun its travel across the United States, with an added stop in Washington D.C. at The Library of Congress. Marah and I have learned so much! “Take Comfort”...

Evaluating the Caregiving State of Affairs

(Editor’s Note: Today’s guest post comes from SeniorsforLiving.com’s Michelle Seitzer. Before committing to life as a full-time freelance writer, Michelle spent 10 years in the senior living and advocacy world, serving in various roles at assisted living communities throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, and leading the charge for Alzheimer’s as a public policy coordinator for the Pennsylvania chapters...

Tax, Times Two

This morning on Your Caregiving Journey, Penelope W. Morgan, an attorney based in Westchester County, N.Y., joined us to talk about taxes (yours and your caree’s). You can listen to our show via the player below. Your caree can deduct his or her costs of care not covered by insurance using Schedule A. Costs of care include home care from a licensed home care agency, equipment, medications, co-pays, ambulette...

Decisions

Vintage silver cupid pin with jewels-gifted by Nelson for Valentine’s Day in the 80′s. Last Thursday Nelson decided to discontinue chemo as  the side effects have become too overwhelming to tolerate and his tumor markers continue to soar. On Valentine’s Day, another painful medical procedure indicated that his cancer is making itself at home in his body and has no intention of loosening its grasp. He does...

Poll: What’s Hard to Accept?

In yesterday’s free webinar, “Surviving Caregiving: The Power of Acceptance,” we looked at ways to move to acceptance so that caregiving seems doable rather than just plain awful. So, in this week’s poll, I wonder: What’s hard to accept? Please vote in our poll below and feel free to share your thoughts in our comments section. (You can listen to a recording of our webinar here.) ...

Webinar Follow-Up: What Will You Accept, Gain and Do?

In yesterday’s free webinar, “Surviving Caregiving: The Power of Acceptance,” we looked at ways to move to acceptance so that caregiving seems doable rather than just plain awful. At the end of our webinar, you had accepted an aspect of your caregiving experience. And, with the acceptance, you gained and then determined an action step forward. (You can listen to a recording of our webinar here....

Gentle Reminders

It’s been an emotionally tough day today for a vast many reasons. Hubby for the last couple of weeks has been on a downhill slide. Mobility coming and going at the drop of a hat. Lots of extra wheelchair rides and LOTS of extra confusion. But we are gettin through. My post won’t be long, I know, faint, right? Tonight as I was attending to Hubby he looked up at me and asked me. “Am I supposed to...

Balance

There are some that don’t think horseback riding is a workout. (:  I have to disagree on that one! Today I went riding for the first time in over three months. I was able to ride my favorite horse, Pauley, who loves to look in my pockets for treats, and put his head on my shoulder. Oh, I love Pauley very much. He loves to canter and so do I, so we make a pretty good team. Today, we were cantering, I...

Stressed Out and Trying to Handle It All

Life has a funny way of throwing everything at you at the same time and I feel like I have to be on all bases and catching every ball. Last week I went to see Mom for the first time in the rehab. She looked calm and relaxed and for once I felt less guilty about the decision to have her stay there. From my standpoint she was being given the care that she really needed. Something she could not get at home. We were...

Taking Care of My Best Friend’s Best Friend! (Myself)

I have had an epiphany of sorts. It’s been a whole train of thought. It started with the realization of what excellent care I take of my Mom (with the help of her weekday caregiver). I’m not bragging, but I really do. She never misses medications, is bathed three times a week and her hair is always rolled. I make sure she drinks 6-8 cups of fluid a day.  Physical therapy regularly. Her teeth are...