When the sight of the red-blood-cell bag would become too much, or the pokes too many, or the smell of the chemotherapy would overwhelm my nose—I wanted to escape. To hide. With my whole being I wanted to run. Run far and run fast. But he was four. How could… Read more“Sometimes It’s Okay to Hide”
Tag: Cancer caregiver
Sleep for Caregivers
Sleep. Lying in bed, afraid to let go. Visions of blood consuming the house (diagnosis of Leukemia). Listening for breaths, restlessness or stirring. Worry of fevers and rush trips to the ER. Sleep. Heart pumping fiercely instead of relaxing. Memories of fighting for life in those mid-night hours. Rummaging through… Read more“Sleep for Caregivers”
Caregiver Resources – Write Things Down
Write things down. That’s probably one of the biggest and best pieces of advice I can give any caregiver. I distinctly remember sitting across from the Head Oncologist of my four-year-old son’s teams (three groups) of doctors. He was an attending physician/professor and coordinated two hospitals’ treatment protocols in connection… Read more“Caregiver Resources – Write Things Down”
A Staph Infection filled with Fear
My boy has a staph infection. Undetermined source. Scary. Fever-inducing. Icky. Doctor monitored. Antibiotic drowned. But it’s OK. Because my boy is 17 and cancer free. As awful as a staph infection is now, it’s not what it used to be! When Andrew was four, we drove home from my high… Read more“A Staph Infection filled with Fear”
Crutches for a Caregiver
Pudding. Dora the Explorer. Juice. Bambi. Burritos. Blankets. Chemo backpacks. The Lion King. Ice Cream. Crutches for a caregiver. Crutches I thought I would never use! But I used them for sure. I used them often. Did that make me a bad mother? I had always been a careful mother. … Read more“Crutches for a Caregiver”
Join the Club – Three Easy Tips for Caregivers
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. Even though it takes awhile for your head to… Read more“Join the Club – Three Easy Tips for Caregivers”
It’s Not About the Wise Men – It’s Just a Simple Gift
It’s not about the wise men, this Christmas. Our gift to you comes from two ladies who consider ourselves anything but wise. In fact, our story started with the words, “Don’t you wish you would have known…?” and continued with a resounding, “Oh, wow…yes! I wish someone could have prepared… Read more“It’s Not About the Wise Men – It’s Just a Simple Gift”
Celebrate Ten Years in Remission!
Celebrate! Today is big! Huge! Today we celebrate one of those milestones you never expect to even think about with your children. Once thought of, however, the prayer that you’ll ‘make it’ is a never-ending process-type prayer! That prayer for remission and the end of chemotherapy! Ten years ago, my… Read more“Celebrate Ten Years in Remission!”
The Difference Hair Can Make
A bright red ponytail and flying blond hair edged around the corner of room number 11 in the Children’s Cancer ward. Wide-eyes greeted me as my two precious little girls tip-toed over to where I perched on the parent chair/bed/sofa/storage unit. I hadn’t seen them for over a week: the… Read more“The Difference Hair Can Make”
The Blood and the PTSD
I ran frantically through the house, sweat dripping down my back and my eyes wide open with that familiar gritty I’ve-spent-all-night-awake-in-the-hospital-feeling. I grabbed things and flung them into suitcases and yelled again for my kids to get out! No one answered and I redoubled my efforts. Piles of laundry gave… Read more“The Blood and the PTSD”
