I Thought I Knew
He collapsed from his wheelchair,
crumpled to the floor,
a rumply pile of the man I love.
To Ask, or Not to Ask…That is the Question
The puppy dog eye thing is not helpful….although to be fair/confusing if you asked about my chronically ill husband with eyes bright and chipper I may have to punch you in my mind. (Did I mention that you can’t win? You can’t.)
It’s the Little Things: Part Two
As if the divide between me in the waiting room and him in the operating room doesn’t already seem cavernous enough, it’s as if they are un-marrying us with this act.
An Open Letter to My Evil Doppelganger Who Doesn’t Know I Exist
He looked at me with big eyes and said quietly, “Oh. I see what you mean. She is kinda doing exactly what you wanted to do.”
Very Important Meeting
I pull up and see my daughter standing at the door and I know something is wrong.
The Speech Caregivers Haven’t Practiced
But I don’t need to write about that. Those are the well-practiced speeches you hear from caregivers everywhere. I’m here to say that there is more to those speeches, there is more to those caregivers, and there is more to this role than you can imagine, all sitting there unseen and unappreciated in the negative space.
What You Don’t See: The Negative Space at Work
10:43 AM: Cat walks over to where I’m sitting. Vomits.
10:43 AM: Mute microphone just in time. Nod, smile, look engaged.
It’s the Little Things: Part One
In addition to the snarky tees, there’s the line of Zen master fashion. These shirts are like carrying Deepak Chopra in a Baby Bjorn on my chest.
Caregiver Position Description
Position Summary: The Caregiver cares for the patient’s medical, physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, social-emotional, financial, organizational, and dietary needs.
Reporting to: This position reports to the patient, medical staff, the patient’s mother, other family members, friends, acquaintances, and everyone on Facebook.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
1. Be or become an expert on the patient’s illness.
Drowning
I feel like I’m drowning.
Not like you would imagine,
a lone swimmer bobbing along in the middle of the ocean,
with no one for miles.
No, I feel as if I’m drowning in a well-populated area.
