Today’s guest blogger is author Jennifer Dukes Lee. In the past year, whilst writing her book It’s All Under Control, she went through a season of caregiving for her parents. Here’s what she learned. The Waiting Room This is the waiting room. Welcome. You know this place, don’t you? When… Read more“The Ache of the Waiting Room”
Tag: caregiver
Self-care for Caregivers is NOT an Oxymoron
Caregiver Self-Care is NOT an Oxymoron If you’re deep in the throes of caregiving, you probably hear the, ‘Take time to care for yourself,’ advice from multiple people. It sounds like an oxymoron. Who’s got time for that? You shake your head and let the suggestion roll off your already… Read more“Self-care for Caregivers is NOT an Oxymoron”
What’s YOUR Caregiver Story?
Feeling Lonely? You’re Not Alone! Whether you’ve eased your way into caregiving for a parent as he or she aged or dropped into the tumultuous sea of caregiving by an unforeseen event (cancer, accident, etc.), you probably know about caregiver loneliness. Life goes into hyper-focused slow motion in your immediate… Read more“What’s YOUR Caregiver Story?”
Sometimes It’s Okay to Hide
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”
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”
Truth and Grace: the Cornerstones of Surviving as a Caregiver
Cornerstones of Caregiving: Truth and Grace They say God provides grace for every moment of a caregiver’s journey. True. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Moments of doubt and frustration; Tired of wearing a happy-face-state-of-grace and tired of acting like the strong one who could shoulder the chemo and the… Read more“Truth and Grace: the Cornerstones of Surviving as a Caregiver”
Find Valuable Resources at Caregiver Connections
Resources for Caregivers During Pedro’s battle with cancer I often felt clueless. For example, I didn’t know that hospitals made arrangements for air ambulances. I didn’t know that the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society gave grants to help family members travel. The one cancer caregiving resource that I knew about (Ronald… Read more“Find Valuable Resources at Caregiver Connections”
We Can All Agree that Caregiving is Tough
Maybe You’re a Caregiver and You Didn’t Even Realize it! We all might not agree on politics, religion, or even who should have won the Super Bowl. I think we can all agree that caregiving can wear a person down. But first of all, what defines a caregiver? Literally, ‘caregiver’… Read more“We Can All Agree that Caregiving is Tough”
