Open to Hope

Choosing a Retirement Community is about Living and Dying

Friday, November 8, 2019

My husband and I have faced many health challenges. In May, I was in acute heart failure and had open heart surgery. Now I have a pig valve in my heart and it seems to be working efficiently. This is a welcome change because I am my disabled husband’s caregiver. Almost a year ago, he fell to the floor and fractured his pelvis in three places. A paid caregiver was with him at the time. Though I don’t know how the accident happened, my husband says he thought he was transferring from his bed to a shower chair, only the […]

Death of a Parent, Open to Hope

Comic Steve Mittleman About Forgiving Hard Parents at End of Life

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Comedian Steve Mittleman

It’s easy to forgive the hardest parent when they thank you through tears with: “Nobody cared for me as much in my whole life!” Or when they write a letter that gets delivered to you on the day of their funeral. This and more, when memory artist, Nancy Gershman talks with comic, Steve Mittleman who travels the world doing stand-up for corporate events and private functions. Visit him at SteveMittleman@aol.com. Don’t be surprised to discover you speak fluent “Stroke” Genuine bonding so often begins at End of Life  Improve your chances to get a letter from Dad the day of his funeral […]

Open to Hope

The Bootsy Chronicles: More End-of Life Lessons From My Feline Companion

Friday, July 13, 2012

A Brief Recap On February 23, 2012, my article titled Daughter’s Cats Help Dad Keep Connection was published on this site.  In it, I focused on the recent health challenges that my daughter Jeannine’s cat, Bootsy, had been experiencing. Specifically, he had lost weight and was looking pretty lethargic. Bootsy, who is 14, was a Christmas Eve gift to Jeannine from her best friend. After Jeannine died at the age of 18 in 2003, Bootsy became attached to me. I became attached to him as well as Jeannine’s other cat, Angel, who is about a year younger than Bootsy. I […]