“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.” If you’ve ever seen the movie, The Sound of Music, you’ll remember Julie Andrews singing those words to the children when they were scared because of a thunderstorm. The simple delights she sings about are the things that make her happy. During this Christmas season, it’s easy to…
When it’s okay to be anti
Have you ever passed by the mirror, and a quick side glance makes you stop and ask, “When did my mom get here?” With a shock, you turn face forward and realize you’re not looking at your mother, it’s you in the mirror. Especially now, as I’ve decided to let my hair grow in naturally…
I am beginning to think there’s an evil group of monsters who design packaging so difficult to open that one needs a knife, hammer, and bolt cutter to get to the contents. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve tried to open a bottle of salad dressing, a label-maker, and a package of salad mix….
When she could no longer walk that far, my husband, Mike, and I fixed dinner at our house and carried it to hers so we could eat together. A year ago, after her stroke, Mike and I moved in with my mom to give more hands-on care. We took turns watching her, taking her to…
Consider this scenario: Your father is a Type 1 diabetic. His insulin pump stops working and he hasn’t received insulin for over 24 hours. He falls into a coma. Do you have the authority to call his health care plan and get an appointment and advice from a nurse? Do you have the right to…
Have you ever flipped through old photos? Many times I don’t recognize the people whose picture I captured years ago. People pass in and out of our lives. We move. We change jobs or churches. We no longer have common interests. Sometimes a death occurs. With the result that a photo taken years ago no…
“What would you think about moving in with Mom?” my husband asked one recent evening. Before the last syllable died in the ensuing silence, I was already shaking my head from side to side. “No. Nope. No way.” There would be bloodshed. Not mine. A few weeks later, he brought it up again. My 93-year-old…
Webster’s Dictionary defines a caregiver as “A person who cares for someone who is sick or disabled.” A caretaker, by contrast, is “A person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.” But Webster’s goes on to say, “A person who takes care of another.” When I think of the word…
I have experienced the sandwich generation – facing challenges I could have never imagined. This is an update to the original article published in 2016. I was my dad’s favorite. I don’t think my brothers will argue with me. He was hard on them, easy on me. That’s my girl is a phrase I heard…
