There’s a support group that «puts the I in caregiver« which I value for its honesty. It’s akin to the one urging us «to be selfish.« I take about 5 hours for myself each day. It’s a necessary indulgence. Let me try to explain what my time away does to benefit me. When I getContinue reading “Short bursts of energy”
Tag Archives: #gratitude
Time passes
A gratitude Time is an ironic boss. It passes. It moves so slowly that it’s as if someone forgot to release the break. At the same time (or by the same token), it rushes past us in a blur. In those instances (in those moments), we are caught off guard by the whirlwind. We sometimesContinue reading “Time passes”
We traveled a little
Burt had many anxieties when we first met, had had them for years. He feared train tunnels and getting stuck in them. He always faced his phobias. He planned trips for us, often by train. In fact, trains became our favorite mode of transportation. Our trips were special. We went to Mystic and spent aContinue reading “We traveled a little”
Moment to moment
Burt’s fever broke overnight, almost as suddenly as it started. He was immediately a bit less disoriented. He was able to speak more clearly. We were just chatting, and he mentioned his ex-wife‘s name. I was prepared for this. I was prepared for it to hurt when I asked who she was. He did say,Continue reading “Moment to moment”
Grateful, appreciative, and thankful
It’s Thanksgiving. Talk of gratitude is as prevalent as the turkey on our plates. We are parsing what is worthy of our appreciation as we sit down for today’s feast. The original idea of this holiday was to show thanks to God for the bounty in our lives. Gratitude practice is at the least aContinue reading “Grateful, appreciative, and thankful”
Our outing collage
My poet
This is what I needed to move from the darkness I have been feeling. [To wit, a poem called Seeking Joy, which hardly hit its mark.] It was a contribution by my love, my p.w.d. Burt said something that was very uncharacteristic. He told me, “You’re talking to a poet.” I said, “You are theContinue reading “My poet”
Romance
There is still a deep romantic connection between my love and I. This despite the chaste status of our relations these days. I feel the pull at my heart, and I have often heard his version of our story as well. He has wanted to “run away,” he says, but “there’s some chemistry between us.”Continue reading “Romance”
Getting out together
I hate to admit it. When apparently healthy couples of a certain age stroll by hand in hand, I am envious. The recent outings facilitated by our new weekend aide take some of the sting of my jealousy away. I can get out with my guy. That’s a nice feeling. We both enjoy being out,Continue reading “Getting out together”
There’s a lot to be said
From pretty much day one of Burt’s symptoms, I looked to getting help. Initially, it was because I needed my time. I wanted to get 3 or 4 hours several times a week to get out. It seemed an existential need for me. In the parlance of our dementia communities, it’s deemed “self-care.” Some ofContinue reading “There’s a lot to be said”
this is our life 