Answer

Calm Dynamic

Last week our regular caregiver was out, so we had new and different people. One of the girls was great with my mom; patient, low key, and knowledgeable. Mom was very comfortable with her. So I was pretty happy when I was able to hire her to come in a couple afternoons every week. It […]

PJ Day

It was a snowy day today, no one was coming over, and we weren’t going anywhere. My sister and I started on a reorganizing project and tag-teamed mom as we worked on it. Before I knew it, it was 5:00 pm and I was still in my pajamas. Perhaps that’s why I was so comfortable. […]

A Real Shower

We found out that the Hospice CNA who was coming to help mom is unfortunately no longer working for the company. So, today the nurse on call came. Lately mom has been getting a bed bath as she so unstable to get in and out of the shower. The nurse brought my mom back to […]

Reaching For Heaven

A friend of mine in my prayer group had been battling cancer. He started on Hospice Care 10 months ago. He was a very faithful man and I always enjoyed what he had to share in our sessions. While he was on the quiet side, I knew that when he spoke, his words would be […]

Fortitude

In a meditation that I listened to today, the statement that hit my heart was about prayer. “Do not pray for easy lives – pray to be stronger. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your tasks.” This is, after all, what I should be praying for. Not […]

No Room

Last night I saw a video of a woman who died when she went over a waterfall kayaking. She said at that moment she was given a choice to follow God or not. She chose to accept God’s will no matter the outcome. Her experience of life after death was fascinating and heart wrenching at […]

Stay With Me

I have been listening to a podcast based on a retreat by St. Ignatius. This morning I listened to a meditation based on the beginning of the Passion of Christ. The scripture passage Matthew 26:36-46 was the account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asked his apostles to stay awake while he prayed, […]

Knew My Struggles

It’s been a rough week. Yesterday I met with a counselor who has been helping me work through my challenges of caregiving and grieving. As I thought about my dad and as I do my best to care for my mom, there are many ways that I wish I could do better – be a […]

Many Reminders

As I was driving to an appointment this morning, I saw the moon setting behind the mountain. It was such a beautiful scene that was almost identical to what I saw 2 years ago when my dad entered Hospice Care in the hospital. The first morning I went to see him, I opened the blinds […]

Shampoo Adventure

My mom has been too unsteady to get into the shower, plus it is uncomfortable for her and she gets freezing cold. Thankfully, the Hospice CNA comes once a week and gets her all washed up. However, when I was sitting with mom this afternoon, I realized how badly she needed her hair washed. I […]