We must take care of ourselves so that we can care for others. We cannot pour from an empty cup, yet we try. Todd and I have worked hard to develop a care plan. We have created a community to support our family. This allows us time to take care of our needs. AbilityFirst isContinue reading “A Care Plan is Vital for Caregivers”
Category Archives: Mental Health
Loving The Lasso Way
“If the Lasso way is wrong, it’s hard to imagine being right.” Trent Crimm, The Independent. I agree with you 1,000 percent Trent Crimm of The Independent. I was recently introduced to Ted Lasso by my favorite meditation instructor, who I have yet to meet in person, Michael O’Brien. He is the founder of TheContinue reading “Loving The Lasso Way”
The Power of a Full Charge
A dead cell phone is useless. We need to think of ourselves as cell phones. We cannot continue to give without taking a moment each day to recharge. It is not sustainable. We will crash and burn. If that happens, and it will, then who will be there to take care of our loved ones that we fight for each day?
The Suck In Being Stuck Together
Emily needs a life outside of the house with her peers. She needs people other than mom interacting with her. At the end of the day, I want us to delight in being around each other. I want to not only love each other but like each other again. I want to find the end of suck in the stuck together spiral we have been swirling in for months.
Grief Within the Beauty
Grief is a part of this journey. You can be grateful for the child you are blessed with and grieve things that will never be. There is beauty beyond the grief and grief within the beauty.
Celebration Minus Expectation
I threw away the manual on milestones and expectations for Emily’s progress and achievements. I started to practice acceptance and release control.
Wonderful But Not Restful Trip
Friday morning came too soon. I woke up exhausted. Emily was to go to school on the bus. I knew there was a 50/50 chance the bus would not show up and it did not. I loaded everything into my car and off to school we drove. I started crying on the way. I was tired and had reached a point of breaking down. At that moment, I realized that the trip had been fun, but it was also a lot of work. Todd and I had cared for Emily for the past 18 days with no help. She had trouble sleeping. She had panic attacks during every aspect of hygiene from bathing to toileting. She refused to help with transitional walking. My hips and body were sore and stiff from long hours sitting in the car and sharing a bed with Emily. My self-care had taken a back seat during the trip and I was feeling the results.
Crying is Good for Your Health
We often hear that laughter is the best medicine. Our culture recognizes the value of laughter. It is seen as cathartic and beneficial. We praise laughter for the health benefits. Crying on the other hand is often seen as a sign of weakness. Crying is often seen as negative. For most of my life, IContinue reading “Crying is Good for Your Health”
Throw Away the Manual
If you have ever purchased a new gadget you know it usually comes with instructions or an owner’s manual. Most things do come with instructions, but people don’t. Or do they? Every person has a belief system. The beliefs they value and apply to life are a type of instruction manual. The funny thing isContinue reading “Throw Away the Manual”
Conversation for Change 