Happy 4th of July weekend! Mom and I have been reminiscing and retelling family stories this weekend. My favorites come from the letters my dad sent to me my freshman year of college - 45 years ago- and still one of my most treasure possessions. … [Read more...]
Suddenly A Fire Alarm Goes Off. My Worst Nightmare As A Caregiver.
On a Sunday afternoon not long ago, mom and I had almost completed a long list of things we needed to accomplish to get her ready for the day. Suddenly, an alarm went off in the basement. I ran out as mom was putting on her sweatshirt, grabbed my phone and started dialing 911 as I ran down the basement steps. I expected to find smoke and flames coming out of the dryer since … [Read more...]
I Feel So Isolated
I created this video two and a half years ago. No one could have predicted that a world wide pandemic would isolate our loved ones to a degree where there is a visible decline in many of them. We are not out of the woods yet and I have a challenge for you. How will you continue to reach out or reach out in new ways, to help an elder feel loved and heard? After a year it is … [Read more...]
Are you struggling right now? I am.
Which is why I talked to my doctor about an antidepressant. Normally, I’m a person who looks at life from a glass half full perspective. I look for and find the bright side of situations because I believe we can choose happiness. But choosing happiness takes energy, energy which I don’t have at the moment. I know I’m not the only one struggling. The social isolation brought on … [Read more...]
Letters to our daughter: True stories about life with my mother.
Treasured memories from more than forty years ago. When I was in college, my father sent me about a dozen letters about life at home. The letters showcase his wicked sense of humor and a way of telling a story that pays homage to his Irish roots. Every time I got a letter from dad, I would sit in my dorm hallway and folks would pile out of their rooms to listen to the … [Read more...]