Owing

Last Sunday, I took my younger sister’s children for the night. They are 12 (and triplets) and quite delightful children with whom to spend a mini-vacation. I had a Groupon for one night at a resort in Lake Geneva, Wisc. We set off for our trip at about 1 pm. on Sunday afternoon. Matt rode shotgun; Jack and Elizabeth shared the back seat. The trip to Lake Geneva is short, but long enough for Elizabeth to make...

Not Hiding It Anymore

My mother has had a very unsettling morning. I’d like to say that the unsettling days come and go, but now it seems as though they just stay. In the past, there have been two different kinds of hiding in our house. My mother hiding from others (except me) the challenges cognitively that she has been having by just agreeing with others in a conversation and at a restaurant by ordering as the person before...

Small But Powerful

Last night was our first caregiving support group meeting here in our town. There were three of us; the discussions we shared were very powerful.  I’m so glad our meetings have started. I lead the group by presenting Denise’s workshop, Breaking the Daily Grind. I had the PowerPoint and Denise put together notes to bring to the group that lead to great discussions. This was my first time doing...

Surreal Cocoa School

Two weeks from today my school year will officially begin. Two weeks ago tomorrow Paul finished his second round of radiation. Today I have no idea who I am or what I’m doing in pretty much any regard. First, I’d like to thank everyone for the prayers and good wishes; this morning we actually moved some glass block into the bathroom and set up enough rows to be able to measure the total shower wall...

Song

When we’re children, we sing all the time. We sing songs to learn, to express ourselves, to connect with others. And, then somehow, as adults, we seem to stop our songs. Sometimes we stop singing out of embarrassment that others may hear our imperfect key. Other times we stop singing because we decide the song can do without our voice. Many times we stop singing because we decide a tough time is no time for...

Resilient

The news reporters said this has been the worst drought in Texas since 1918. It is dry and brown and the soil is cracked. Although we have done little or nothing to keep our yard alive it is really amazing that everything in the yard is either dead or dying…except one plant. Not only is this plant not dead it was actually flowering the other day. When we planted our yard about seven years ago my mom suggested...

Memories

Robert spent the day with us but it wasn’t until the drive back to New Home that we actually talked a lot. “A lot” being relative since Robert isn’t usually very talkative and the day didn’t allow for much talking time. I picked him up after breakfast and he worked on his word search puzzle on the way back to my house (complaining about the shaky car – hey, it’s the road, not my driving). Once we got...

Where Have You Been?

“There he is!” That’s how Mom greeted me the other day. I was relieved. Although it had only been a few days since I had last been there. Still I half expected her to shout out, “Where have you been?” Since I haven’t blogged here since early July you would be excused if you said the same thing. In my defense it has been a busy summer: music camp which involved driving 1,300 miles...

Twitter Party Tonight for Those Caring for Parents and Kids

For those of you caring for parents and kids, Esti Berkowitz, who blogs about starting a family in her 40′s at PrimeTime Parenting, has organized a Twitter Party tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET. To join the party, just go to tweetchat.com, sign in with your Twitter credentials and enter this hastag: #swGEN (Although the party is for those in the sandwiched generation, you are all welcome to join us and...

Hang in There-It’s Worth It!

We’ve been crazy busy for the past few days trying to pull together a Southern-themed Memorial service up North. Spanish moss, check. Boiled peanuts, check. Green tomato pie, check. Sunshine, not so much (but we scrambled to purchase two big canopies at a reasonable rate and get them up as there’s a chance of rain tomorrow). Again, my family and church have just blown me away with their thoughtfulness...

Conflicted…

I am very conflicted. When Nicole was 7-years-old she was seeing a gastroenterologist for some constipation and failure to gain weight issues. She had an endoscopy in which they looked at her stomach and such. The records from this procedure and from the GI doctor were obtained this week for her appointment with the new GI doctor that she is seeing now. I learned from these records that during the EKG the...

Caregivers Need Their Serenity

I was talking with a friend the other day who is just getting over a problem with rage; not violence, just vented anger. He asked me how I could live with a disabled wife and assist with three other relatives without venting at them. Clearly, if he’d taken on a family caregiving assignment, he’d know. The disabled and elderly have real problems that often have to be addressed immediately. And while I might...

Can a Childhood Caregiving Experience Make Today Easier?

This morning, Chet joined me for Table Talk on Your Caregiving Journey. You can listen to our show via the player at the bottom of the post. During our show, Chet shared that, as a kid, he helped his mother by taking care of his younger brothers (he cooked!) and, as a teenager, he helped his grandmother care for his grandfather. I’m often wonder about the impact childhood experiences on us later in life. My...

Two Worlds

Warning! I’m venting in this blog! I am a wife and mother and as such, I am part of the world’s parenting and family group. In this group I am involved in our son’s activities. We watch as his band performs half-time shows, competes in field tournaments and band reviews, we attend his cross country and track meets, and we participate with him in Boy Scout activities. My volunteer activities are with other...

Odds and Ends…

I’m not sure what to call this blog so we will go with this. I will talk about several different things. I had made a blog regarding a comment that Denise made to me. I went back and re-read that comment and realized that I saw something in what she said that she really didn’t say. Denise’s exact quote was “…the past seems to be stealing your today’s. What would it mean if you...

The First Week of Morning Help

We completed the first week of morning help yesterday. I am so grateful for the help. My mother was very positive about the help the first two mornings, but by yesterday she was not happy about it. She gave me the “evil eye” when the lady arrived which always takes me back a couple of steps. But, it was okay. I explained to our helper what needs we had and excused myself to another part of the...

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. Resources We’re taking submissions for our Caregiving Art Show and our Help book! Be sure to share your art and your story...

Thoughts About a Reply from Denise…

I responded to the blog that Denise wrote about Heather and what do you take too seriously. She replied to my response about how I shouldn’t be focusing on the past. I didn’t realize that I was doing this other than trying to figure out since I got confirmation and have seen the records for myself from years ago on Tuesday. I realize I can’t do anything to change the past but I struggle with the...

Managing Financial Angst

The markets go up and down and so does your stomach. You worry about your investments, your caree’s and then you worry about what makes sense for your investments. How do you manage your financial angst during turbulent times? This morning, on Your Caregiving Journey, Ellen Rogin, joined me to share suggestions on managing financial angst during turbulent times. You can listen to our show via the player at...

Tell Us: What Do You Take Too Seriously?

Heather begins her day the same way: Up at 5:30 a.m., shower, four bites of a granola bar, hair in a headband. Then, she dons the gloves, carefully and steadfastly placing each finger into the latex glove. She’s ready for the part of the day she dreads. She wakes her mom and begins the morning care. Her mom has intensive and extensive care needs, so morning care can take as long as 60 minutes. She guides...

I’m Going to Find the Silver Lining…

I just spent the better part of an hour on the phone. I need to get one of those head sets ) I have scheduled the sonogram/x-ray. I am not happy about the fact the South Seminole Hospital won’t do it because she’s a minor and I will have to go to Arnold Palmer. I have major issues with this hospital but I’m smarter now and won’t like them get away with anything. She has to fast for this so...

Update on Gastroenterologist and Other Things…

Yesterday, we went for a consult with a gastroenterologist. Nicole’s doctor up at Shand’s wanted her to see one to look into a complete abdominal sonogram to find out what may be causing the stomach pain that she’s been having on a regular, daily basis, after meals for the last nine months or so. Nicole has had stomach issues her whole life. She did see a gastro doctor for several years from about...