Found 25 results
The first few days in the hospital I was told by my father’s doctor that he had experienced several more strokes. One of the strokes required 4-5 nurses to hold him down. He became very physical during these episodes and … Continue reading
As I reflect back on the past when I was taking care of my parents, whom were both diagnosed at the same time with Alzheimer’s, I often found that it was very easy due to the stress of caring for … Continue reading
More than 10 years ago, I saw a black and white photograph by Richard Avedon that I still vividly remember. It was taken of a young boy in 1947 in Sicily. He was in the foreground smiling broadly and wearing … Continue reading
Evelyn Rose was my mother. She was a devout Catholic born at the turn of the twentieth-century. She never questioned dogma, doctrine or the infallibility of the pope. She believed we were put here on earth by God for a … Continue reading
Michael writes in: My sister is dying of breast cancer. I don’t know how to be with her. I want to say something but so far I only speak to myself. John Pete resonds: Hi Michael. It can be very … Continue reading
Question from a reader: I’m writing this letter in hopes of finding some peace. It will be three years next month that my son was murdered. He was only 18. His mother and I were divorced when he was very … Continue reading
Today, I find myself crying at the drop of a hat. The tears are back, and they remind me of the tears I cried in my parents’ backyard when I realized my mom and dad were no longer there for … Continue reading
by Lisa Buell We sat in a room that no parent wanted to be in. The lighting was low; the walls were painted a soft mauve color, a weak attempt to calm our nerves. The gesture felt irritating, as if … Continue reading
I’ve been a bedside volunteer for more than five years, sitting with dying patients and their families once or twice a week for up to four continuous hours. Sometimes I stay with patients overnight. Regardless of how demanding my responsibilities … Continue reading
When my husband was in the last stage of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, with no hope for a cure, we settled him in our den, next to the TV where he could watch his beloved Cubbies play ball, in the company … Continue reading
I was concerned when I came home and couldn’t find my mother. The back of the house has a steep incline off the deck that leads to a forested area. When I saw that the gate leading down the stairs … Continue reading
Most families of our generation don’t talk much about feelings, but when our parent is aging or ill, many emotional issues arise for both the primary caregiver and for other family members. It can be a very challenging time for … Continue reading
When my husband was near the end of his terminal illness, our Medicare nurse, who dropped in twice a week to check his vital signs, suggested we call our local Hospice center to set up Home Hospice. Â I balked. … Continue reading
Dr Ira Byock is a physician specializing in Hospice and end of life care.
By Diane Duchscherer – First as a son, You entered this world as a mother’s first one. You made her smile with great pride, Ready to take you through life’s roller coaster ride. You were one of the best! Then, … Continue reading
Life is funny. Sometimes the most rebellious of us, the teen gone bad, the unwed mother of three, the Harley brother in leather and bandanas and lots of tattoos who become the best caregiver, the most thoughtful son–or daughter. Why? … Continue reading
Greg and Stan talk about hopice and set up the heal project which is a volunteer organization for the hospice program.
I have the privilege of meeting many, many caregivers–and some of them have been at this for a long, long time. Some caregivers are caring for both parents, some a spouse with a chronic disease, others, an adult child who … Continue reading
By Stan Goldberg – My life is tethered to a number that few people have ever heard of: a Gleason score of 7. It’s a measure of prostate cancer severity that ranges from a forgettable 1 to a terminal 9. … Continue reading
Alzheimer’s does different things to different people. I’ve heard some people say their spouse or parent got sweeter. “Not my mother,” I say in return, laughing (and almost crying at the same time) at some of the antics my mother … Continue reading
By Carol O’Dell – For many of us, caregiving for a spouse is in our future. We like to not think about it, or at least imagine that it’s a long, long time from now. For many, it’s a daily … Continue reading
By Marty Tousley, CNS-BC, FT, DCC Grief does not wait for death to happen; it occurs both in anticipation of and following a loss. Extended illness, disability, severe accidental injury, a terminal diagnosis or the aging and decline of an … Continue reading
By Gloria Lintermans – My father is dying of cancer. He will be gone before Father’s Day, having spent 93 years in a world of snow-balling change. A huge person in my life, I don’t know how to say good-bye. … Continue reading
Jane talks about the baby boomers, end of life, and finding hope.
By Elizabeth Miles — At 17, when I was told by my Uncle Paul that I was “just like my mother,” I cringed. Â Why would I want to be like her? Â At that time my mother was down on herself. … Continue reading
