When Mike and I first talked about moving in with my mom after her stroke, my sister in law gave us some advice. “Talk to a counselor. You need to make sure all of you understand boundaries.” At the time, I thought she was making something out of nothing. I could handle Mom and her…
Mim has been a member of the same church for over forty years. She’s served on the Women’s Ministry Council, sung in the choir, worked in the nursery, and is a prayer warrior. She’s adored by everyone who knows her. Now in her late eighties, Mim had a stroke. Her daughter flew up from Southern…
The move in with my mom is a work in process. A very slow process. I’m finding out how easy it is to gather stuff. For instance, I have enough rags to fill a garbage bin. Do they reproduce while in the dark linen closet? I’ve compartmentalized the emotional part of the move. It’s there,…
Massage therapy is vital for elderly people since with old age, body muscles and bones become weaker. There are different options when it comes to massage. If convenience is a major factor to make a final decision then getting a full body massage chair for the elderly people is the easiest at-home option as it…
Maria cared for my dad when he needed more help than my mom, Mike, and I could give. She was a nursing student with a huge heart in a tiny body. Fast forward eight years. Maria was getting married and our entire family was to attend the wedding. It’s all my mom talked about for…
First world problem – I have too much stuff. Too many shoes, way too many clothes, and things in my linen closet I haven’t touched in years. What to do? Purge. Repeat. Purge again. Mike and I are going from a three-bedroom, 2 ½ bath home to one very small bedroom in my mother’s townhome.…
On Labor Day, I left my doctor’s office and hopped in my car to drive home. My cell phone rang, and I saw it was my mom calling. I answered with my usual cheery, “Hello-o.” Mom’s hitched breathing came through the phone. “What’s wrong?” I demanded, as adrenaline surged from my overworked adrenal gland. “I…
Chronic pain is a ravenous beast. It desires to suck the joy out of our lives. It isn’t satisfied until every bit of life is squeezed from our wheezing, dying frame. It mocks our attempts to hold it at bay with pills and potions. Sometimes after a sharp prick from a needle, it will go…
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…
When my son was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the age of twenty-nine, his wife became his full-time caregiver. She monitored his meds, took him to chemo treatments, and prepared a special diet. When he was hospitalized, she brought healthy food into his room to replace the questionable hospital meals. At home, she helped him…