Thankful he’s home. Thankful we had support.

Tonight was a big night for us. Our son plays trombone and is in his (Texas) high school marching band. And, our daughter had a birthday sleepover across town. Side Bar: I’ve been told that Americans implicitly understand that it’s a big deal to be in a Texas high school marching band, which is why […]

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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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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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Hospital Fluent: When the Hospital Starts Feeling Familiar

We’re on day (enter random number here because time moves quickly) of a hospital stay that won’t end for a few more days – and the hope is that my dear husband will be approved for rehab (fingers crossed), which means even more days in a care facility. I know that we’ve been here too […]

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The Caregiver Struggle is Real – This is My Action Plan for 2020

At the end of 2019, I realized that I was about to turn 40. You’d think that I already knew that this milestone birthday was coming, but the realization hit me like a truck. I did an introspective evaluation and decided that some things in our life needed to change. Some things I have the […]

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The 7 Ways I Care for Myself

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 […]

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