BlogHer - caregiver - Comments

I'm skipping the farmers market today

Denise — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:16:47 -0500

I have a ton of work to do. I pulled down my blog last week because it was bugging me, and now it's bugging me because it's not there. TW ran over my foot with the wheelchair twice yesterday, with her mother in it. I think I'm too tired, too stressed and too busy for the Farmers Market/Breakfast/Assisted Living visit today even though we are also running out of summer and I'll be longing for Farmers Market Sundays for months on end.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Gary

Thankless Job — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:42:01 -0500

Hah!

Thanks! I really appreciate your support!

Gary himself nixed the laptop idea. He's our in-house tech support and he says he just can't spare the kind of time it would take to teach Maw even the very basics of computer use.

But I promised to invite Maw's sister (and family) up here for Thanksgiving. She seems satisfied with that for now.

Thankless

No he's not

Denise — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:41:04 -0500

I'm reading!

I don't have a single answer for the loneliness, not one single answer. But maybe setting her up with a Facebook account would help. It couldn't hurt... could it?

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Yep, that's what happens

Denise — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:22:46 -0500

We're a family taking care of an elderly parent and that's exactly how we feel in the morning and all day long actually. Clicking to read the rest now.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Hang in there, sister!

zazupitts — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:29:30 -0500

I've been there... so your words truly resonate with me! Your family is so lucky to be able to pull together to deal with the 24/7 task of caregiving.

For me, gratitudes and prayer helped me through the dark periods -- it sounds like you already have embraced that practice. Sometimes, just writing out my gratitudes every day and thanking our Creator was enough to bring me out of a negative spiral.

Finding little joys to share with your LO bring so much meaning to your life when you are caregiving -- just sharing a smoothie with a favorite topping, or watching an old movie with the LO can mean so much.

I'll pray for you...

Living in Caregiverland: www.Caregiverland.com

This is fantastic

Denise — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:51:23 -0500

First, I'm sending your post to the BlogHer Caregiving Group and we'd love to have you join if you're interested.

Next, no career changes yet because both TW and I work from home (thank goodness.) I did spend some time pondering what would happen if one of us no longer worked from home... that just led to anxiety I didn't want to deal with so I stopped thinking about it.

I love that your life went in such a different direction and that you're happy.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

This can help for anxiety

LexiYoga — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:38:11 -0500

This can help for anxiety:

http://www.lexiyoga.com/anxiety

This can help for anxiety

LexiYoga — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:37:59 -0500

This can help for anxiety:

http://www.lexiyoga.com/anxiety

The sister keeping it all together

JC — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:43:53 -0600

You've been the one keeping it all together. What a week indeed (and only two more days to get him back up to you. Ugh.) All I can say about the rug is arrgghh! There are no words for that. At least no words I want to actually use.) You and your wonderful husband deserve the biggest thanks for everything. Does that help?

http://www.storyrhyme.com/jcsblog

Words bring comfort

JC — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:39:06 -0600

Thank you, Laura, for your compassion. It is very much appreciated.

http://www.storyrhyme.com/jcsblog

Family matters

drmary — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:24:06 -0600

I do what I can, cry when I have to, and laugh when I choose.

This has been a week, a holiday endured. He asked me today how my Christmas was, an impossable question. He does not acknowlege the depths of distress that were suffered on his behalf, he did not ask of it. He used the money saved from his rental car return to buy his lady friend the rug.She helped him pick it out. She couldn't manage to get to the hospital for 5 days, but could go shopping. It is hard to remain as quiet as I know I need to be.

Boys will be boys

rebellious thinker — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:05:19 -0600

JC, I'm glad I was able make someone else cry. Seriously, my words, thoughts and heart are here to help you.

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

Sounds Like Our Brothers Have the Same Phone

JC — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:03:24 -0600

Laura, my emotions are so on the surface right now. Your comments made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Thanks for your words. They mean a lot to me right now.

http://www.storyrhyme.com/jcsblog

Stuggling with a Brother

rebellious thinker — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:23:44 -0600

Does love, of whatever kind, always bring with it some degree of grief? Or is it simply caring about someone so much and them not being capable of doing what we think they need to do? Love, maybe it's about accepting, as hard as that is, those things that make us well up inside and want to scream.

My brother (there's just the two of us), has a special phone that only enables him to call me once a year. He is what he is. And since he is a brother, he still gets my love.

Wow to your sister and her kidney donation. And to all of your family in supporting him as he has struggled, and as he has found ways to express himself that seem counter to what one would hope.

Glad to see that girlfriend and brother have their priorities straight. At least you don't need to depend on them for help.

Health to your brother, or lack of more suffering, or what it is that he needs.

Laura, www.RebelliousThoughtsofaWoman.com

You're Welcome!

apietrangelo — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:56:24 -0500

SpondyGirl,

It always helps to know that you are not alone and that there are other people who are where you are.

It's difficult at any age, but to be 26 years old and to suddenly become dependent on your husband is a shock. You may not be the "fun new wife" you wanted to be, but together you will discover things about yourselves that you never knew and your relationship will be stronger for it. "In sickness and in health..." are powerful words, aren't they?

If you're intereted, my husband writes a "caregiver/spouse" blog. He deals with MS, but his words ring true of any condition:

http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/95808

Best of luck to you both. Stop by anytime.

Ann Pietrangelo

My Website: AnnPietrangelo.com