Friday, April 6, 2012

Sunset

Lessons Learned and Shared

Hello, dear folks.  I'm back to blogging again and the pure joy of writing never felt better.

Dad and Mom are still with me. Dad has declined, but, bless his heart, he fights like a champ. I guess that spirit sustained him through many of life's battles, including World War II, keepss him going.

Mom presents early signs of dementia, but otherwise she's hanging in there. She still sits with Dad during dinner and they watch TV together (on good days, that is.)

We made it through the holidays in a quiet, but grateful, fashion. No big fanfare, just happy to be together one last time.   The holiday season proved to be the gifts that kept on giving every day in every way.  The memories live in the deepest part of my heart.

My friends ask me if I have abandoned my blog due the time pressures involved in tending to my parents. Admittedly, my total focus goes into their care and I did think about it for, oh, say, 20 seconds, but the question did kick these brain cells in a positive way.

If any good can possibly rise from this life as a caregiver, it has to be in the form of giving back in some way, shape, or form. I have learned a few valuable lessons about long term care giving that's for sure, so why not share those lessons in the hope that it'll do some good? So, going forward, I'll be launching a "Lessons Learned and Shared" series for the next two weeks (or more if time and care giving permit). Some of the items I'll attempt to deliver are food-for-thought and others are action items. Here's the caveat: With the way the health care industry has changed and continues to change keeping an ear to what's going on and performing a due diligence along the way may save a great deal of scrambling and heartache in the end.

So click, sit, and let's have the conversation that nobody want to have, but are completely foolish, IMHO, if they don't...