We have all been challenged by marketers this season to find ‘the perfect gift’ for another person. And what would be the perfect gift for a caregiver? It would be to say to them, “Thanks for all you do, or for all you have done.” I had such an opportunity last week when an in-lawContinue reading “Pick the Perfect Gift”
Author Archives: Ardella
Love the Moment
Dec. 9, 2020 It’s right there on the inside of the coffee mug I use almost every day even though it’s chipped– “Love the moment.” This mug is a treasured gift from a close friend I lost to pancreatic cancer ten years ago. In addition to thinking of her often, I read the saying onContinue reading “Love the Moment”
WALK AWAY FROM THE PUZZLE
Dec. 2, 2020 I am almost done with a jigsaw puzzle that has over 1,000 pieces. I can’t wait to see the finished product after the hard work that has gone into turning pieces this way and that way to match colors, edges, and patterns. Although the puzzle was new when I received it, IContinue reading “WALK AWAY FROM THE PUZZLE”
Create Thankful Thursdays
Nov. 25, 2020 For years now, I have used Thursdays as my thanks-giving day. That is, I set aside time to say thanks in prayer each Thursday rather than ask for things or wait for the annual holiday to show my gratefulness. I spoke once before of looking at the glass as half-full, and I’dContinue reading “Create Thankful Thursdays”
Lay Aside Your Cape
Nov. 18, 2020 You simply cannot fix everything, no matter how hard you try. My husband took notice of my tireless efforts to make everything right when I was caregiving and juggling all the other responsibilities I had at the time. He told me repeatedly that I was not superwoman. Once I began to thinkContinue reading “Lay Aside Your Cape”
Look at the Half Full Glass
Nov. 11, 2020 It’s so easy to lament all the things an Alzheimer’s patient has lost, and that’s mostly because the issues are staring us in the face. Everyone’s journey is different, yet some of the observable losses in those suffering from this disease include progressive inabilities to use the phone, handle finances, select properContinue reading “Look at the Half Full Glass”
Voice Your Needs
Nov. 4, 2020 – After you’ve taken the plunge and set aside some time for yourself, you wonder why your nephew didn’t do anything else at your house other than just sitting with your husband until you got back. But the truth is, sometimes people don’t know what they can do. They may think their supportContinue reading “Voice Your Needs”
Choose Your Day
Oct. 27, 2020 When you are busy caring for others, it’s easy to forget to set aside a specific time to care for yourself. We sometimes feel guilty doing that because the person we are caring for needs us so much. It’s similar to how first-time parents are reluctant to leave their child with aContinue reading “Choose Your Day”
Learn to Laugh
Oct. 21, 2020 I once heard a presenter joke that one good thing about her mother having Alzheimer’s was that she didn’t always have to cook because her mother didn’t remember that she had not eaten. That didn’t seem funny to me, and I wondered why she was joking about Alzheimer’s. After my mom wasContinue reading “Learn to Laugh”
Accepting the Diagnosis of a Loved One with Alzheimer’s
Oct. 7, 2020 “Mom’s doctor prescribed a medicine that would help slow the process and allow her to make mental connections, but the truth that there was no cure for Alzheimer’s carried the most weight in my heart. It was not a cold she could get over; there was no invading lump or tumor thatContinue reading “Accepting the Diagnosis of a Loved One with Alzheimer’s”