Grateful Caregiver

“It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure”    Psalm 18:32 Work place flexibility for Caregivers  Being able to work from home during the week has been a true blessing. It allows me to be present to take care of my mother while working. I usually arrange my laptop in her room instead of my office area. Sometimes the only challenge arises when the grandkids are also at home, as GG's room is the most sought-after room in the house. During a recent meeting with colleagues, the youngest member of my crew, 6 months old, sat next to GG and excitedly shouted. I had to apologize to my colleagues for the interruption. It’s never a dull moment in our home. I have worked for over 30 years and this is the first time I had this much flexibility. Im beyond grateful  Workplace flexibility for caregivers varies by state due to differences in labor laws, caregiving support policies, and family leave benefits. Here’s an overview of caregiver workplace flexibility in ...

Pray without ceasing….    I am thankful for my strong faith and belief in God's grace and the miracles he bestows upon us.   Throughout my 55 years, I often reflect on the moments when I truly felt God's presence, safeguarding me and my loved ones.   In September 2000 ,  my  youngest daughter who was just a year old had to be hospitalized  for 1 st  and 3 rd  degree burns.   My husband brought her along to the store to grab breakfast and my favorite hot beverage, a cappuccino.   As my husband grabbed the bag from the  sales clerk , it accidentally knocked over the coffee on the counter, causing it to spill onto the counter and onto my daughter.  The scalding coffee spilled onto the left side of her face and dripped onto her shoulder.   Therefore, she was required to spend a week in the hospital.  I have a vivid memory of being a complete wreck during that time. I spent the whole time at the hospital, sleeping in ...

Whose taking care of you?  Who can take better care of you than yourself? You are familiar with your body, every scar tells a story you remember. For instance, I have a scar under my right eye from when I was 12 years old. I needed stitches because glass from a china closet hit my face when I opened it. I tried to dodge quickly, but it grazed me just inches from my eye. A few inches higher, and I might have lost an eye. We all have such tales to tell. We understand ourselves better than anyone else, even better than our parents. With that in mind, why do we consistently overlook self-care? Our eating habits suffer, we lack exercise, and we neglect the counseling we truly require. Caregivers in the U.S. often face significant challenges in maintaining their own health while caring for others. The stress, time demands, and emotional burden of caregiving can lead to neglect of personal health and well-being. Here are some key statistics that highlight this issue: Approximately 60% of ...

Caregiving is a constant learning experience ." — Vivian Frazier” What’s your daily routine with your loved one’s care?   My daily caregiving routine with my mom involves asking her these questions the start of each day: Are you in any pain? How was your sleep? What would you like to eat? For pain we start with pregabalin. This is medication is for nerve pain. After undergoing chemotherapy, mom developed neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy happens when the nerves that are located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) are damaged. This condition often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in the hands and feet. It also can affect other areas and body functions including digestion and urination . The next medication 💊 is Levothyroxine, her thyroid medication,  treatment for hypothyroidism, and the last medication is Oxybutynin, treatment for an overactive bladder, a condition that in some cases is found to be caused by cancer treatments.   If mom...