I remember very clearly being in one of Mr. Doyle’s classes during my post-graduate certificate program and the discussion of ethics and public relations came up. It wasn’t a topic I was particularly interested in – we were close to graduation and I was nearly ready to sell my soul for a good job. Maybe […]
Did you plan a fabulous summer vacation that involved travel by plane? If you’re a caregiver, like me, you may dread planning anything that involves air travel. For all of the technology that it takes to get an airplane up into the air, it’s the most archaic means of transportation if you are traveling with […]
Grief is a normal, healthy response to any loss or perceived change. Sometimes, when there are multiple losses, untimely losses (in the case of younger people), losses that involve loss of income or involve children, grief can be complicated. As caregivers, we mourn the losses of our loved one as they lose various physical functions, […]
When dealing with a progressive, life-long condition, especially if you’re “close” to the situation (like a caregiver, parent, spouse, or child), sometimes you attribute the loss of hope to the actual disease itself. Over the past two years, I’ve realized that for us, the hope thief is actually the loss of functionality. My darling husband […]
I’ve had the privilege of knowing others in similar situations – caregiving for a loved one who is dealing with a life-long and progressive condition. Something we all share is a level of anxiety that is uncommon in the general public and usually results from a shared fear of the unknown. But what are the […]
More than 12 years ago, my darling and I embarked on a journey to start our lives as a married couple. We didn’t have a typical beginning. He is American and I am Canadian. And while our countries share the longest border, and friendly relations – the process of moving me to the United States […]
When you’re hanging on to hope, sometimes the things that help you get through the days between today and the cure are the medications, therapies, procedures, appliances, and surgeries that you know have been proven to help with symptoms for the person you love and care for. Quality of life medicine saves lives, my friends. […]
When everything feels like it’s about others, it’s easy to ignore your own health. And the statistics don’t lie. An author manuscript published on PubMed Central titled: Physical and Mental Health Effects of Family Caregiving, identifies caregiving (which is defined in this case as a family or friend who provides unpaid care to a loved […]
On Father’s Day, and on every milestone or holiday, I have only one wish, one hope. I hope that my husband will be restored to his former self. Before Multiple Sclerosis reared its ugly head. I love him as he is now, however I know that it what he longs for, and we all long […]
Almost a year ago to the day, our lives were forever changed when a relapse of my husband’s Multiple Sclerosis (MS) snuck up on us over the course of a few months. We struggled to understand why everyday tasks seemed more difficult for him and why an uncharacteristic fatigue had washed over him and wouldn’t […]