Ever since spending an inordinate amount of time in three different children’s hospitals during my son’s fight with leukemia, I’ve had a soft-spot for nurses, social workers and other personnel who dedicate their lives to not only saving children, but improving their quality of life in the process. They routinely… Read more“Hurricanes, Hospitals and Nurses”
Category: Creative Corner
Anita and Carol also write about other things–things to make you laugh or think or ponder.
Work: When Teaching is a Gift
Today’s prompt is: WORK I received a gift at work today. My award-winning day did not start when I forgot to grab my school keys off my dresser as I headed out on my 45 minute drive to teach 7th and 8th graders. It wasn’t the middle-schoolers’ insatiable desire… Read more“Work: When Teaching is a Gift”
In the Midst of Catastrophe and Crisis
When catastrophe strikes and crises arise, caregivers and survivors often struggle with guilt and surreal feelings of isolation and wonder that life moves on around us. Sometimes we are caught so deeply in our own battle that we forget others face different fights. But even harder – we’re bewildered that… Read more“In the Midst of Catastrophe and Crisis”
What If and If Only
As I stood under the spray of my shower yesterday morning, the what if moments of our cancer journey replayed through my mind. The remonstrating hospital staff telling me that I shouldn’t do that repeated in my head as well. But my son bleeding in his tears haunts me and… Read more“What If and If Only”
Take Care of Yourself: Six Ways to Avoid Caregiver Burnout
Cancer Caregiving 101: Take Care of Yourself and Prevent Caregiver Burnout “Now you must realize,” the doctor straightened the papers into the already thick folder as he finished summarizing the diagnosis, treatment protocol and prognosis, “with a best-case scenario, we’re in for a long haul. You two must take care… Read more“Take Care of Yourself: Six Ways to Avoid Caregiver Burnout”
Autopilot – the mode of operation for long-term caregivers
Autopilot becomes the way we handle things flung at us as new caregivers. Actually, who am I kidding? It didn’t get easier just because it became longer – in fact, the longer I lived on emergency-ready, life-and-death mode, the grayer my world became. My son was four-years-0ld when we started… Read more“Autopilot – the mode of operation for long-term caregivers”
Happy Father’s Day – from God
Father’s Day – what a fantastic idea! A time to call our dads or send a note or make them something special and let them know they’re loved. On the other hand, Father’s Day – what a horrible idea. A time to miss our dads and renew a sense of… Read more“Happy Father’s Day – from God”
Expectations Can Make All the Difference
It was one of those mornings where expectations of an normal chemo treatment were obliterated – everything that could go wrong, was going from bad to worse! We had arrived on time for four-year-old Andrew’s chemotherapy, but the nurse hadn’t. When she finally arrived, the doctor wasn’t there yet, neither was… Read more“Expectations Can Make All the Difference”
Put a Penny in your Pocket
My dog tugged on the leash as I looked down at the tarnished penny in the road. Should I pick it up? “Put a penny in your pocket, and save it for a rainy day.” My grandma’s green eyes sparkled as she picked up a penny and slid it into… Read more“Put a Penny in your Pocket”
More Some: Desiring more of our Father’s gifts
Join us as we write about the prompt: More. You’ll find some amazing stories over on Kate Motaung’s page for Five-Minute-Friday, where she gives a prompt and we write and post. Chubby, pink-stained fingers clutched the bowl out in front of her, “More some!” begged my little two-year-old as she followed her… Read more“More Some: Desiring more of our Father’s gifts”
