I was at a book festival this past weekend. I met some authors from around the Southeast, as well as some lovely readers. I wanted to take today to welcome these newcomers to Michelle’s Mosaic. You will find I write about many topics as I process life. Feel free to browse around all the categories. … Continue reading Welcome Newcomers
caregiving
Caught by Surprise
Our new book is gaining some traction and we have been invited to speak in different locations. Our first presentation was for a group of Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers. I was a bit nervous, but excited to get this book into the hands of caregivers who need it. I made the drive to Greenville … Continue reading Caught by Surprise
It’s Here!!!
We interrupt your regularly scheduled summer for breaking news…our author’s preview books have arrived!! We can hold them in our hands! The cover is beautiful and smooth enough to pet! The colors are soothing. The picture is peaceful. It looks just like we had imagined it! The inside is easy to read. Each week is … Continue reading It’s Here!!!
Pre-Sales!!
When Mom started having memory issues 7 years ago, she was concerned. She was having difficulty finding words. She was forgetting familiar faces at church. She couldn’t remember directions to places she was accustomed to driving. The doctor said it was likely age-related memory loss. She stopped using the computer. She stopped cooking. Dad helped … Continue reading Pre-Sales!!
Sweet Dreams
In my dreams, Mom is either talking and sharing wisdom or lost and unreachable. There is no in between. As a life-long dreamer I have become a student of my dreams. Some, I write off to whatever I had for dinner the night before. Others contain insights and perspectives I have never considered before. Some … Continue reading Sweet Dreams
Dad Bragging
I need to brag on my Dad, and I figured Father’s Day is the time to do it. He’s been an excellent father. One of those you can point to as an example of what fathering should look like. I could make a very long list of examples, but today I don’t want to name … Continue reading Dad Bragging
Dementia Doesn’t Shelter-in-Place
Dementia doesn’t shelter-in-place. There is no pause. There is no waiting. It rolls relentlessly on, continuing its forward movement. It continues to take away Mom’s ability to communicate. Words are fewer and farther between. It continues to take away her mobility. Steps are slower and slower. Its newest take away is her ability to swallow. … Continue reading Dementia Doesn’t Shelter-in-Place
A Solitary Path
Caregiving is a solitary path. Watching Dad take care of Mom and even helping him, I can see the toll it takes. She is dependent upon him. We went to a concert together and I saw her needing him. I was right there, but I am not Dad. She seemed to forget how to get … Continue reading A Solitary Path
Dear Friends and Family (2)
Dad and I talk together pretty often about Mom’s daily condition. We look at her new behaviors and we try to analyze what each one means. Is she getting worse? Is this new? Is she sick or is her mind just disconnected? Melinda and Dad also analyze every moment especially the medical ones. Everything that … Continue reading Dear Friends and Family (2)
Dear Friends and Family
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
Michelle's Mosaic 