Reflections of a Daughter of the Silent Generation and Mother of Generation Y
AA’s Step Ten: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” These days, with how Mom’s Alzheimer’s anchors her in the moment, I’m grateful for how this slogan and Step Ten help me stay right here with her. (Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions)
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
According to the sign out front of a local church, “THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING. BE SURE TO MAKE TIME FOR GOD.” My middle square – “Spirituality and Faith” was a great place to start!
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
Of the many difficult decisions we’d made in caring for Mom, one of the most challenging was moving her away from her home in Maine. The time had come to move her back. Fingers crossed her health would remain stable until we got her there.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
Mom had referred to me as her sister and her friend. Then, as Tramadol messed with her mind, she asked me if I’d be her secretary and later, my personal favorite, her “Lady Girl.” I was just glad she still knew I was on her side.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
I never expected that our eldest would come home to live between college and graduate school. I was going to miss her and l looked forward to the next time she’d land back home, whatever the duration.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
I knew I’d miss our Millennial kids when they went away to school; it hit me now, just how much I’d miss their Millennial friends as they set out on their next chapters too.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
Hospitalized again, Mom being evaluated for another intestinal ailment, with enough blood loss to warrant a transfusion, it was time to gear up again.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
AA’s Step Seven: “Humbly asked our Higher Power to remove our shortcomings.” Faith in a Higher Power…It’s what helped me, Mom still in Maine for a bit longer, in another’s care. #thankGodforHannah! (Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions)
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
My sisters (in-law) may not have been part of my start, still, I was grateful they were part of my present. Although we were from different gardens, I loved our awesome bouquet!
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
For as long as I could remember, exercise had relieved stress and cleared my mind. These days, Mom rebounding, I hoped it would help me get my spark back too.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
