Three Tips for a Cancer Caregiver

It’s not an elite club. It’s not a desirable club. It comes with a very high membership fee. No one ever requests to join. But once you’ve been inducted into the club of Cancer Caregivers, you might as well participate fully. No matter how busy you are at your full-time… Read more“Three Tips for a Cancer Caregiver”

Seven Signs You May Suffer From *Chemo Brain by Proxy

I stood in the middle of the kitchen, a measuring cup in one hand and a carton of eggs in the other.  What was I doing? Oh, yeah.  Cleaning the bathroom. I looked at the items in my hands and shrugged before setting them down on the open oven door. … Read more“Seven Signs You May Suffer From *Chemo Brain by Proxy”

Fatherly Filter

  Me without You is like coffee brewed without a filter, bitter, dark and full of nasty surprises Their words, fall on me unfiltered; like coffee, burning hot, black bitter and full of nasty surprises. Filter their words. Let me hear the good intentions lost in the brewing process of… Read more“Fatherly Filter”

Screaming (Five Tips for NOT Screaming When You Really Feel Like it!)

“Get out of my way!” I screamed at the driver who cut me off. “Where could you possibly have to go that’s more important than me taking my son to the ER?” “I don’t have time for this!” I screamed in my classroom at the mountain of papers the substitute… Read more“Screaming (Five Tips for NOT Screaming When You Really Feel Like it!)”

God Answers Prayer With a Spelling Lesson

When Plans Crash My cell phone rang in the middle of a team parent’s meeting at Laura’s gymnastics class. Pedro’s voice sounded worse, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of his facial paralysis or because he really was worse. “I’m back in the hospital.” I breathed deeply and… Read more“God Answers Prayer With a Spelling Lesson”

Six Ways to Prevent 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“Six Ways to Prevent Caregiver Burnout”

Solutions, Not New Year’s Resolutions

For years I made New Year’s resolutions: lose weight, give up chocolate, start an exercise program, have better health and myriad other impossible proclamations.  While my husband recovered from his stem-cell transplant, I spent all of my spare time in bed—grumpy and depressed and fifty pounds overweight.  All of my… Read more“Solutions, Not New Year’s Resolutions”

How to Help a Caregiver at Christmas

A Caregiver at Christmas Feels Double the Stress Contrary to the song, Christmas is NOT “the most wonderful time of the year” for caregivers. It’s that time of year when all the ‘what ifs’ pile up in their brains as they silently mourn Christmases past and what to do in… Read more“How to Help a Caregiver at Christmas”