Pollyanna?

Last week I had an interesting interview with a National magazine reporter, Janet, about caregiving. She wanted to find a baby boomer caregiver who loves what they do. After answering questions on how my life (and our family) has changed and what’s so good about it, she made a comment that I have wondered a few times myself. She said she has heard these type of comments before and wondered whether people will think I am being a Pollyanna. I told her that I have questioned myself when friends ask... 

[Read The Full Article]

Waking up to my Reality Makes it Easier to Live with Dementia

The loneliest years of my life were the first 18 months after my husband, Dave was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia. We were both in our 50s and dementia isn’t supposed to happen to couples our age. I didn’t know how to deal with it, where to go, or what to do. Many of my friends reassured me that I was strong enough to handle it. When I found myself crying in my office or out on a walk, I beat myself up because I’m supposed to be strong. You see-I grew up being told that crying is for... 

[Read The Full Article]

Laughter is the Best Medicine

There is nothing better than laughing until you cry. The studies have proven that it releases endorphins that are 50 times more potent than morphine. We produce our own anti-depressant with NO side effects. How great is that? When was the last time you laughed until you cried? Can you remember how good you felt afterwards? I was chatting with my friend, Sue, on the phone and she was complaining about her house being a mess, her business not doing as well as she expected, and that her life felt like... 

[Read The Full Article]

Cranky Thursday

This morning I was reading my journal and I came across an entry for September 23, 2010. It read… Yesterday I woke up after 6 hours and I was cranky. Usually I like to stretch for a few seconds and think about one thing I am grateful for. But not yesterday. I made coffee and then I got crankier because Dave woke up at 5 am to get ready to go to the gym with his buddy, Doug. I was upset because this is my quiet time of the day and Dave was interfering with it. Then I became even madder because I... 

[Read The Full Article]

Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

Exactly 2 weeks ago, my husband and I were running along a beautiful stretch of road and I blogged about it in ‘Living with Dementia–Enjoying the Present Moment‘ http://hollyeburne.com/alzheimers-and-related-dementia/living-with-dementia-enjoying-the-present-moment/ The shortened version is that I was enjoying the sunshine and the rainbow of colours around it yet Dave could only see the dark clouds in the distance. We had different perspectives. I used this situation as a metaphor... 

[Read The Full Article]

When One Door Closes–Another One Opens

Last year I wrote an article titled “When One Door Closes—Another One Opens”. I want you to read it because I have a postscript to my story… It is June 30, 2009 and in 7 months, the eyes of the world will be focused on Vancouver, Canada, for the 2010 Winter Olympics. My dream for the past 28 years has been to be part of this magnificent event–not as an athlete, but as part of the volunteer medical team. I have spent hundreds of hours travelling the world with our national and elite... 

[Read The Full Article]

2 More Lessons in the Day of Being a Dementia Caregiver

This morning I woke up earlier than usual and I was feeling cranky as soon as I opened my eyes. I like to spend a few seconds stretching and thinking of one thing I am grateful for before hopping out of bed. I was having none of that this morning. I LOVE early mornings–4:30 to 6:15 am is my quiet time. It is when I recharge my battery by sitting with my kitty, sipping on coffee, reading, writing or meditating. But this morning was different…it was interrupted by my husband, Dave waking up... 

[Read The Full Article]

Learning to ‘flow’ with my husband’s dementia

Last month I was reading an article by Bob DeMarco about his experiences of caring for his mother with Alzheimer’s. He said that when you learn to step into the world of dementia, life flows easier. I couldn’t agree more. For the first couple of years after my husband, Dave was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) I tried controlling what Dave wore, his table manners, what he said, and more. For example, we were going to a wedding and Dave was standing at the door, looking very... 

[Read The Full Article]

Living with Dementia: Enjoying the Present Moment

I just came back from a run with my husband, Dave. It is an absolutely gorgeous fall morning–sun is shining, with wispy clouds and a feel of coolness in the air. Perfect for running. As we are heading towards the sun, I look up to see many layers and shapes of clouds, on a backdrop of the deep blue sky. What is interesting, and particularly beautiful, are the colours around the sun–shades of mint green and fuchsia-almost like a rainbow but without the rain. I mention it to Dave, who isn’t... 

[Read The Full Article]

Magic Moments

Living as a carer for my husband, Dave with dementia (frontotemporal dementia) is a challenging and life changing experience. There have been times (too numerous to count) when I have wanted to hand the job over to someone else. This isn’t what I had planned for the years when our kids left home and we were still young enough to travel, hike and bike wherever. But this is what life is handing us and I finally figured out that I can’t fight it and I had better learn to accept it. This... 

[Read The Full Article]

« Previous Page — Next Page »