On May 27, at 3:51 p.m., my daughter gave birth to a beautiful son, Elijah Gregory—Eli for short. I was fortunate enough to share in the experience with her and her husband, and at the moment of Eli’s birth, my daughter wept tears of joy, as did I. The decision to have a child was […]
The Blessings of Children Read More »
Have you seen that commercial that asks, “Where do you hurt when you have depression?” and the answer is, “Everywhere.”? That came on while I was helping do something this week for Lynn, and suddenly, I realized that maybe I had “misdiagnosed” his symptoms. Lynn started on Rebif about two months ago. Over the past
Are you the type of person who keeps a calendar and checks their watch several times daily? I am. Since I can remember, I have been a clock watcher. I always had a sense of what time it was and what day. Not that I was always punctual, but I always had my schedule somewhere
Time or Just One Continuous Move Forward? Read More »
Pressure. So much pressure. …but where does it come from? Me or “them?” This has been one of those weeks where I have felt I was under extreme pressure all week. The week started off with me getting up early on Monday for a conference call that wasn’t scheduled till Tuesday. I needed to get
Sometimes I Feel Like I will Explode Read More »
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about respite care. I was asked to participate on a committee to look at creating a voucher program in Virginia for caregivers to obtain a small amount of financial assistance so they could afford respite care. I think the idea is wonderful. So many of us need a break
Financial Support for Home Care Read More »
Do you remember when the person you care for was first diagnosed with MS? You might not have been around them at the time, but I remember it very well. Those were very confusing days. I was almost sure Lynn had MS. He didn’t want to talk about it or give the disease any power
I Don't Know What I Don't Know Read More »
Out of the blue today, Lynn asked me to write about advocacy. He said, “Please stress to your readers the importance of having an advocate or being one for yourself,” so here goes. When Lynn and I first got married, we were both very independent. Both of us had been married before, and both of
If you are a full-time caregiver, or even part-time, but the primary person responsible for someone else’s care, then you know all about paperwork. It’s another one of the unpleasant aspects of caregiving that we have to endure but are all too often unprepared for or unfamiliar with. I’m very fortunate in that I have
Keeping up with the Paper Work Read More »
Ever since Lynn became disabled, I’ve had lots of encouragement to get some help. I know I need help. My muscles hurt from overuse; I get frustrated trying to do everything I need to do. I know that there is a high risk as a caregiver that I will have a shorter lifespan. So why
Why is Getting Help so Hard to do? Read More »
Lynn has started a new MS medication–at least new for him. It’s Rebif, an interferon beta-1a therapy that is supposed to slow disease progression, reduce the development of lesions, and reduce exacerbation occurrences. Sounds like a good drug, but it’s also used primarily for relapsing-remitting forms of MS, and Lynn may be into secondary progression
Free to a Good Home…with patience Read More »
I have always enjoyed a good movie. It’s one of the things I miss about not being able to get out and go places now. However, you don’t have to go out to see a movie anymore; you can now do it in the comfort of your own home and with the benefit of a
Going to the Movies Read More »
When I was trying to decide what to write about this week, I had a hard time coming up with something unique. I’ve touched on many of the hardships and challenges associated with being a caregiver, but as I look out the window at all the new growth for spring, I am also thinking of all
