Bette, on the left, set the timer on her camera, placed on her van's hood, for this picture.
I left last Thursday to visit Bette for six days. She had organized two workshops, one for family caregivers and one for professionals who work with family caregivers, for me to present in her community. She also found a recording studio in her town, so on Monday we spent a day in the studio as I recorded comforts from my book, Take Comfort, Reflections of Hope for Caregivers.
We took a break from work on Sunday to pay a visit to Kristin, who blogs about caring for Mary and who was our very first CareGifters recipient. (You can listen to my interview with Kristin here as she shares what a huge difference your donations made to her.)
Kristin lives about four hours (or five when I’m driving) north of Bette. We left at about 7 a.m. on an amazingly warm Sunday morning in November with a basket of Thanksgiving food organized by Bette. We made one stop on our way for breakfast (eggs for Bette, pancakes for me) and then picked up sandwiches for our lunch at Kristin’s.
Me and Kristin.
Our visited lasted for about 2 1/2 hours; we enjoyed lunch, a tour of the property, an introduction to Mary, and desserts. It sounds like such a simple visit and yet, five days later, I still find myself tongue-tied about what really happened.
The visit will top my list of my life’s most meaningful moments. There was something about watching Bette and Kristin connect to talk about something that can’t be talked about with just anyone (dementia) and about sitting across the table as Bette explained about the basket and all it contained. There was something about the desserts Kristin offered to us—simply placed on a platter but so powerful because of the pride in hosting a visit.
So, because I still can’t quite find the words to tell you what the visit meant, I’ll leave you one last photo, which says it all.
Related Articles
- Forgiveness: Opening the Door You Kept Shut (caregiving.com)
- What Change Will Help You? (caregiving.com)
- A Theme for You (caregiving.com)
- Tell Us: In Six Words, What’s Your Responsibility? (caregiving.com)
- In Six Words, What’s Your Thanksgiving? (caregiving.com)
You are a disruptor. The delivery of health care starts with you, continues because of you, and ends with you. Let's disrupt together to make the world better for family caregivers. 
Jane
How I loved this. I was crying (been emotional for some reason the last couple of days) reading this. It seems to me like it was a blessing for everybody involved.
I’m so glad that all you guys could get together. I love the pictures also.
Hugs:o)
Jane ~ mom to Nicole, 17 yo, VSD, PAH, Eisenmenger’s, BHJS
“If you don’t like something change it, if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.”
Trish
I don’t think I have words to express how beautiful this is. Thank you, Denise. You enrich so many lives and I am very grateful to you for doing that. Thank you for sharing this and the pictures.
Bette
I’m so grateful for the time we were able to spend at Kristin’s.
I was able to share your blog with Greg and the kids Denise. I reminded them that although there are times of frustration in caregiving, it continues to impact our lives in so many ways.
Thank you Denise and Kristin for touching my life in a way that cannot always be put into words.
roaringmouse
Wow! Thank you for sharing such a moving and loving moment. Bette and Denise you are both very gifted and your strength for seeing Caregivers get recognized is exemplified beautifully here.
Thank you!
Roaring Mouse
Kathy
How much fun was that?!!!
They say a picture is worth 1000 words.
Those spoke volumes!
Thank you for sharing them Denise