Donna Shares holds nothing back as she shares her journey with readers about her life as a family caregiver. She began blogging after finding she needed an outlet to share her pent-up emotions with other caregivers; however, she had access to none. Starting a blog was her solution to feeling isolated and gave her an avenue to share what she knew with others in hopes that her experiences might help them not feel isolated. Since her history as a caregiver has expanded many years now, she has reprinted those past posts for new readers who might be interested in comparing past to present or learning from prior experiences. Blog Library has them all categorized by the type of topic covered. Some posts listed were from the time she wrote as a contributor for multiplesclerosis.net. Therefore, you will leave this website and go to theirs when you click on that link to read the full post. Happy reading!
I want to shout out today to special-needs parents. God bless them; they have their hands full, and their energy tanks are empty most of the time. These caregivers play a dual role as both parent and caregiver. In that role, they are often criticized by everyone they encounter—especially if their special needs child has […]
Hats Off to Special Needs Parents Read More »
Since I’ve retired, I’ve found myself on a mission to do something about the plight of caregivers. Why am I so stirred up? It’s because there is a severe lack of training for family caregivers. The lack of training is especially true in rural areas where families are expected to perform medical procedures with little to
Training Needed for Caregivers Read More »
My current project is gathering information to write a book on skincare and wound management. Therefore, wound and skincare are on my mind. One of the most important practices I have is to check my husband’s skin regularly for any signs of skin breakdown. If I see the first hint of any break in the
Watch for Breaks in Skin Read More »
Caregiving is a very lonely responsibility. If you have ever been a caregiver, you understand what I mean. All caregivers have probably experienced that feeling of being alone when the smoke clears. The initial burst of enthusiastic help is over. Everyone has returned to their normal lives except you. As the dust settles and the smoke clears to
In late April, Lynn began to experience a phenonium called “sundowners.” Each night as it began to get dark, he would take a nap and awaken not knowing where he was.
Mental Health Caregiving Read More »
I am concerned that the specialization of medicine is leading to a decrease in the quality of care available rather than an increase. I have seen this more and the past several months as my husband has had a series of mysterious medical conditions requiring different “specialties” to determine the underlying cause. Unfortunately, these specialties do
Specialization of Medicine – Is that a Good Thing? Read More »
How prepared were you when you first became a caregiver? Did you know what to do, where to go, and what the medical terms being used even meant? Did you know how and when to switch between the role of spouse/child/sibling/friend/parent/partner and caregiver? If you are like most caregivers, you probably didn’t. Most of us
Were You Prepared to Become A Caregiver? Read More »
Posted on July 26, 2011 by mscaregiverdonna I yell back, “Just a minute. Let me finish this sentence.” Then I try to recollect my thoughts and finish up whatever thought I was in the middle of (I work at my job from home using an internet connection) and see what he needs. Often it’s something simple like
Hey Sweetie! Can you Come Here a Second? Read More »
Ever since Lynn almost had to go on a ventilator in May, in the back of my mind I wonder what to expect about the future. I seriously try to just look at what today holds for me but whenever plans need to be made, I can’t help but worry. I can’t share this with Lynn. If I do he thinks I’m being pessimistic and that I don’t think things will turn out well. It makes him depressed because he thinks I think he’s not going to get any better… so I can’t talk to him about my fears…but they are there.
Fear of the Future Read More »
Posted on mscaregiverdonna on July 17, 2011 First off let me say that I would not wish MS on anyone. Nor do I believe that God gives people MS either as a blessing or a curse; MS, like all diseases, is a consequence of a fallen world and Adam and Eve’s free choice to disobey God.
Could MS Be a Blessing? Read More »
