I have been doing dementia research this week; not really, but it seems that way. There have been two excellent dementia awareness events near me that I attended with my family. If you know my dad at all, you know he is a bulldog. It is why he was such a successful business man. He … Continue reading Dear Friends and Family
Health
Hard Things
It has been a week of hard things. The thing we had been dreading came to pass. Moving Ray into memory care was physically exhausting as expected, but I don’t think it was because of the move itself. That part only took the movers two hours because there is very little stuff left. Each move … Continue reading Hard Things
Meltdown
I had a meltdown this week. Allow me to give you some backstory. Five or so years ago, we began caring for Bill’s dad, Ray. In that time, we have moved him 4 times, handled some very complicated legal matters, managed all his doctor and dental appointments (and the dog’s vet appointments), gotten his estate … Continue reading Meltdown
Mom
I don’t know where to start with my Mother’s Day post this year. Sometimes I think about young moms, and all the beautiful exhaustion that goes with that role. Other times I think about those who are not moms, for a myriad of reasons, and I bless them for sitting through all the Mother’s Day … Continue reading Mom
11
It is somehow appropriate that tonight is a full moon, here at the beginning of a new year, and on this day specifically; January 2nd. Eleven years…cancer free. At this time all those years ago, I was finishing up my final 8-hour treatment and heading home for a celebration dinner Louise had prepared. It was … Continue reading 11
A Frightening Moment
A beautiful fall day calls for…housework, right? Maybe. Just a little. Then a drive through the brilliant glowing mountains, as a reward. Bill was changing lightbulbs on the outside of the house in preparation for the darker evenings. I was inside working to ready the guestroom for any visitors coming our way. Bill was on … Continue reading A Frightening Moment
Guest Blog
Today I have an important guest blogger, my husband Bill. He has a story to tell that is important. In fact, it is one of the things that has been swept under the rug at our house for years, as we have been in survival mode. It is where so much of our lives together … Continue reading Guest Blog
The New Normal
“You will find a new normal.” I have heard the phrase many times, and in fact, I have said it to others in trying circumstances. The new normal seems like a goal, a hidden place where all things line up once again. However, what no one talks about is the strong longing for the old … Continue reading The New Normal
Practicing Self-Care
I didn’t plan to start the new year in crisis mode. By nature, crisis is mostly a surprise, otherwise it wouldn’t be called a ‘time of intense difficulty, trouble or danger.’ It is the immediacy that catches us off guard in these kinds of situations. In my experience, it usually starts with a phone call. … Continue reading Practicing Self-Care
Me and My Friend Bev
I had a delightful afternoon with my childhood friend Beverly yesterday. We hadn’t seen each other face to face in many, many years. However, over the past few, we have bonded on Facebook through our shared Cancerland experiences. It was good to finally get to hug her neck long and hard, and to catch … Continue reading Me and My Friend Bev
