Sometimes tears pop out of my eyes for no reason. At least, I don’t usually know why at the moment it happens. It is unexpected, and it hits in the most unlikely of places. I am familiar with how much my senses can trigger my tears. I remember when Hannah was traveling the world for … Continue reading Surprised by Grief
dementia
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
Guest Blog
Today I am sharing a guest blog written by my sister Melinda Jenkins. Our dementia journey with Mom is a difficult one for all of us. These words are Melinda's perspective as we continue to walk through the seasons of this dreaded disease with grace that only God can give. Leaving the Winter Season and … Continue reading Guest Blog
A Moment with Mom
I have become a celebrity at the place Mom and Dad live. He gave my book to some friends who were facing heartbreaking circumstances, similar to his. Those people then ordered some to give away, too. The result is that I get stopped by people in the halls and in the bistro almost every week, … Continue reading A Moment with Mom
Sweetie
“Sweetie, Sweetie, Sweetie,” she said. Three times in a row. “My Sweetie.” Her eyes lit up and a smile crept up her cheeks. Her hands reached for him. His eyes filled with tears, as he reached back, “I love you so much,” he choked out. She leaned forward, lips puckered, reaching for a kiss. He … Continue reading Sweetie
Glorious Day
Grieving a person who is still alive is difficult. My heart is a puzzle and Mom is a piece. Without her the whole thing threatens to fall apart, yet she is still here. Her piece of my puzzle isn’t gone, it gradually fades creating a transparent hole. The hole gets bigger each time I want … Continue reading Glorious Day
A Great Love
Today, we moved Mom to her new room. It went as good as these things can go. When we told her she was moving she said, “okay.” And that was that. We were not allowed to go into the unit or arrange her things, but one of her caregivers was. They came for her belongings … Continue reading A Great Love
Reunited
After months of being separated and trying to access how Mom is doing via phone calls and zoom, we have finally been reunited! Hurray! We were allowed back in to see Mom and Dad last week and it was like water to our souls. Just all being in the same room brought the comfort of … Continue reading Reunited
The Greatest of These…
In my life, I have witnessed all the different kinds of love. Romantic love. Brotherly love. Self-love. In Greek, there are many words for love because they have a name for each kind. All of them are types of human love. I have also witnessed supernatural love. It is the kind that can only come … Continue reading The Greatest of These…
Dear Healthcare Provider (Guest Blog)
Recently, I wrote a blog about Mom's hospital stay. I wrote it from the perspective of a family caregiver and addressed it directly to the hospital. Now my sister Melinda, a nurse practitioner, has written a guest blog from the perspective of a healthcare provider to Healthcare Provider. She makes important points for all those … Continue reading Dear Healthcare Provider (Guest Blog)
Michelle's Mosaic 