After In-Patient Stay – A Caregiver’s Task List

We’ve been home a week. And yes, I’m so thankful (so so thankful) hubby was well enough to be discharged. And yes, I much prefer sleeping in my bed to sleeping in a hospital ICU recliner. And yes, the commute, parking fees, and unlimited snacking have taken a toll on my wallet and waistline. But […]

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Dear Clinician, Listen To The Caregiver

Nobody knows my husband, his medical history, or his baseline (what he’s like on a “normal day”) better than me. So, when I have questions or comments about a clinical decision, or share feedback about his clinical status, my words are meaningful. While my commentary and participation is important, I also fully recognize that I […]

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I Didn’t Want My Kids to See Their Dad in the ICU. They Changed My Mind.

It’s weird being a mom. We’re supposed to know all the things, but these two hooligans teach me something new every day. Sometimes it’s about trombones and spittoons or ballet positions, sometimes it’s about calculus or Texas history, and some days it’s about how they need me to parent them. This last hospitalization was scary […]

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Can A New Normal After Illness Still Be A Good Life?

If I let myself, I could spiral to places no one should ever have to go. The truth is, being a caregiver is just too unpredictable for my tiny lizard brain. And if I’m not actively managing my intrusive thoughts with ‘healthy’ coping mechanisms – therapy, writing, sharing with people who love me/us, and accepting […]

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Caregiver Emotional Labor: Work Nobody Sees

Being a caregiver isn’t all glitz and glamor, y’all. Sometimes, it’s hard work! And yes – the more obvious “work” is the physical labor associated with taking care of another human. Something less obvious is the emotional labor we’re dealing with too. Who would have thought that thinking so hard could be so traumatic. So, […]

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Sometimes, Quality of Life Saves Lives

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. […]

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