May 31, 2017 ~ Self-Care
I have written elsewhere about the stress caused by others’ expectations of how caretaker’s should care for themselves. Everyone, kindly, reminds you to ‘take care of yourself.’ When you are in my position, which is not nearly as dire as so many others, being reminded to take care of yourself is like adding another item […]
Sideswiped
I hesitatingly went to an al fresco dinner at Mom’s community this evening, after deciding to attend just last night. After being sick 5 times in 5 months (the last two afflictions being the family curse, diverticulitis, which saps you of just about everything you’ve got), I was not feeling confident handling my mother’s shenanigans. […]
7 Address Books
As we put our house back together after six months of projects, I came across two additional small address books of my mothers while lightening the load in my office closet. I thought five were enough… The original address book, known to me from childhood, remains on the Island. The additional 6 (identical) are here. […]
Dr’s Appointment
Today’s doctor’s appointment was a follow up on lab work taken last month. Upon arriving at the community, I found the doctor and asked, “What’s our plan of attack this time?” We reviewed the last two appointments, and my daughter and I let him know mom thinks seeing a neurologist is in her future. The […]
The Gathering & High Tea
Overall it went well. Mom walked in and handed my youngest daughter a bouquet of flowers with a broad smile and a “Happy Birthday!” Daughter #3’s birthday is in October. Daughter #2 leaned into her little sister and quietly said, “Grandma can’t keep it straight.” We did a fun round of birthday and Mother’s Day […]
Family Gathering
In 3-2-1. We will be a party of 10 adults plus my grandson. Mom is included in this gathering. The first time she is venturing this far from the AL community since arriving almost 3.5 months ago. I am, obviously, full of anxiety, but will have the dilution of many including Daughter #2, who is, […]
Happy Birthday, Dad.
My father would have been 84 today. Had he not done 9 years of battle with, likely, benzene induced AML, I think he would be here celebrating. It’s taken a long time to be able to visualize him in robust health. But I see it again. I hear his laugh, and see his smile. Cheers, […]
Baggage
Everyone has baggage… The kind you travel with from here to there is a metaphor of sorts of the greater baggage, not necessarily all bad, that we mosey through our lives with. Having had pieces of the physical estates of my grandparents, first husband, father, small urgent offerings from my former mother-in-law, and now, while […]
And done!
The tenants paid the rent today, and I handed them two keys, and the garage door opener. The majority of my waking hours during the last three weeks have been about preparing mom’s mainland house for occupation. There are still items on the list, but nothing that keeps these folks from moving in, and nothing […]
Leased!
While signatures and money have yet to be exchanged to seal the deal, I’ve found a tenant for mom’s mainland house. That this happened via networking, rather than Craigslist, local ads, or a real estate agent, feels really good. No, networking is not a guarantee of perfection, but it’s a damn site better than shooting […]
Dementia Dance - Travels with Mom 