Connected
Friends From Afar
Tonight was my prayer group meeting. We all saw each other yesterday at the funeral, but kept our regular meeting anyways. One of the ladies had moved to another state and had been joining our sessions via Zoom. It was good to see her in person again. Another woman came to the group for some […]
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 […]
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 […]
Many Talents
This morning my mom’s regular CNA was out, so another girl came in. She was wonderful, as they all are. She said she used to be a Hospice nurse for many years, but it started to be too difficult for her as she would form such close relationships with the patients, then lose them. She […]
Early Encounter
Yesterday I had an opportunity to share my story of going to Lourdes, healing, and personal faith. It reminded me of how much God loves me and cares for me, even when I doubt or struggle, or even turn away. I got choked up telling the story again, remembering the incredible spirituality of the place […]
Cameras Continue
My grandson has always been interested in photography and movie making. When he was a child he would make race tracks about of cardboard and use his Hot Wheels cars to make stop motion videos. After we got together a couple weeks ago, I gave him my old electronic Minolta camera to play with. Then […]
Better With Both
It is hard to see my mom struggling to play the piano, especially since it has been her favorite thing to do since she was 6 years old. She does have good days, but most end in frustration. Today her friend came over. We have missed her for 3 weeks for various reasons. After visiting, […]
Grateful for Encouragement
Several people reached out to me after yesterday’s blog. Most are or were caring for their parent(s). Connecting with others helps to not feel alone, especially when they understand the difficulties. I find it so interesting that people suffering from dementia display such similar struggles, thoughts, and behaviors – regardless of their specific diagnosis. Caregivers […]
Still Finding God 