In the fifth part of our series on how caregivers seem to experience the same reactions to circumstances that a drowning person experiences, we explore the options a drowning person has–submersion or submission. “From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with… Read more“Submersion or Submission: Which would you choose?”
Tag: Cancer caregiver
Angels and Lifeguards: What a Caregiver Needs
In this third part of our series on Drowning in Plain Sight, we salute those ‘lifeguards’ and ‘guardian angels’ who recognize a caregiver’s silent struggle in the waters of caregiving despair. “Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on… Read more“Angels and Lifeguards: What a Caregiver Needs”
Hurricanes, Hospitals and Nurses
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”
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”
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”
Safe in the Tub – the love in the midst of the impossible
This post is written with the gang over at Five-Minute-Friday where we write on a prompt, for five minutes, and then post. Don’t think, just do it! This week’s prompt: SAFE It’s been sitting for nine years, safe in the bin I threw it in when I tried to return… Read more“Safe in the Tub – the love in the midst of the impossible”
Screaming – Five Tips for NOT Screaming
“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”
Good Blood from Bad – Unexpected Blessings from Caregiving
“You need to come on over to the student center,” my husband, Randy, spoke softly over the phone, the noises in the background almost overriding his voice. “The students are turning out like never before!” “I can’t bring Andrew down there though, his counts are too low.” I responded. We’d… Read more“Good Blood from Bad – Unexpected Blessings from Caregiving”
