Sometimes Mom, Mike, and I sit around the table and reminisce. We’ll all start laughing so hard our eyes water. I cherish those times. I realize I’m not just my mother’s caregiver; I’m still her daughter, and I like the dual role. Jesus spent the last night of his life having supper with his twelve…
“EEK!” My husband, Mike, ran into the bedroom. “What happened? Do I need to kill a spider?” “NO,” I wailed. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, pinching the skin of my upper arm. “I have chicken skin.” I turned to show him. “Honey, you’re still as beautiful to me as the…
Why are you a caregiver? Did you choose your role? Did you weigh carefully the pros and cons, then decide based upon a rational, thoughtful process? Maybe you made a list of reasons why you should care for your elderly parent. Did a measure of guilt guide your choice? Most caregivers are either thrust into…
My mother gave me her ring. She can’t wear it anymore. Her once slender fingers have become swollen with arthritis. Four perfectly matched diamonds are mounted in a row on a gold band. I always thought it was her wedding ring because she’s worn it for as long as I can remember. She recently told…
Have you ever ignored someone speaking to you? Perhaps she asked you to do something you didn’t want to do (this is especially pervasive in the teen years). Sometimes I pretend I can’t hear my husband when he asks me for the seventh time how to find a document on the computer. He admits to…
Where did I leave my glasses? Why did I come into this room? Speak louder. I can’t hear you. I won’t be able to go to your party; I don’t like to drive at night. Why don’t my kids call? All they want to do is text. If you’re older than sixty-five, you may…
