Describes the impact caregiving has on family interactions.
Caregivers never take a break because though they may not be physically present, mentally, they do not let go of their responsibilities. Relaxation is extremely difficult for a lifetime family caregiver because being “on” and ready to respond in an instant is a part of their innermost being. They do not have an off switch.
Since multiple sclerosis often strikes in early adulthood, many times, the family unit includes children who mature into adulthood, watching their parents become progressively weakened by the disease. Such was the case in our family. Lynn had a ten-year-old son who lived with his ex-wife when we married in 1997. Lynn’s son was a secondary caregiver Lynn’s diagnosis …
Lynn loves children. He gets such a kick out of watching them play and run around. Some of his favorite commercials are those that have little children running around getting into things and acting adorable. When my daughter (his step-daughter) announced she was pregnant, he was happy for her and her husband, but didn’t melt …
Sixty-two years ago today, my Mom and Dad became husband and wife. Two months later he was drafted into the army and served the next two years in Korea. As I listen to the words this young bride wrote so long ago, I look at them now and see that the love they had then …
Sometimes I forget the impact our life has on the rest of our family. Today, that impact is more evident as I wait for our three children and their spouses to come over to “talk about the future.” I have been having just such a conversation with my brothers and parents but hadn’t really thought …
My paid job, that supports Lynn and me, is as a Human Resources Director of Employee Relations. As part of that role, I am responsible for keeping up with employment law. One of the laws often misunderstood by employees is the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). While from the employer’s perspective this law is a …
For the most part, Lynn and I are homebodies. He just doesn’t handle traveling very well so we rarely leave home. His already ever-present exhaustion is made significantly greater when he travels and it usually takes a full day to recover afterward; therefore, we rarely do any short trips since he spends the time at …
Christmas is a wonderful time of year; full of fun, excitement, and family gatherings. For weeks beforehand, I spend time decorating, planning, anticipating the good times, and envisioning the perfect holiday. Like so many dreams, the reality is rarely the picture-perfect vision that I have in my head. That is particularly true now that MS …
Planning, Time, and Flexibility: Essential Ingredients for the Holidays Read More »
Thus the week before Christmas and all through the house Not a creature was stirring not even my spouse A small Christmas tree had been placed on a stand So he could “see” Christmas from his power wheelchair The last of our children this past year had been wed So most of my parenting worries …
It would seem that as of this week, my daughter has officially become a caregiver thus establishing the second generation of caregivers in our family. In reality, she has been a caregiver for many months now, but with the hospitalization of her son, my grandson, it now seems official. Eli will be one year old …
