"Fight for fun." What great advice for us all! It's a small but weighty comment in this beautiful post. Whether caregiving, grieving, or anything else we experience, finding fun, finding joy, is critical.
What a heartwarming - and heartbreaking - story. I wish I'd had fun with my mom, the way you did. But Mom wasn't a fun person. She could be generous and kind, but she was also quite reserved. So letting me help her in the last years of her life, when she had dementia, was difficult for her. It was actually easier for me to accept help from nurses and professional caregivers because of this.
Thank you, Helen. Absolutely, for some, fun isn’t a natural part of the equation. I’ve had others say the same about their caregiving experiences and encountered many patients throughout my career for whom that was also the case.
Everyone has different gifts, and it sounds like your mom’s generosity and kindness were some of hers, and it’s beautiful that you recognized that. As well as being reserved. We need both introverts and extroverts for balance. :)
In your sharing it’s clear how much you loved her. Because you stood in the gap to provide what she needed, even if that was difficult at times. I’m so grateful you had help available and accepted it. Good for you. A win-win for you both.
What a lovely photo of you both, reading your story brought back memories of course of losing my own mum. Reading how hard it hit you and not being prepared, it is a massive shock especially when you think you're so capable and you'll be fine, and the reality is the opposite. I loved that you both had such fun together, that you made time to make sure you did, and that you got that help at the end. I know from personal experience how draining and tiring doing all that personal care can be, and you really need that energy to be present for your loved one. I'm glad you have your spiritual connection to God to support you now, and I know from reading this, that your experiences will be so valuable to the families you help in hospice.
"Fight for fun." What great advice for us all! It's a small but weighty comment in this beautiful post. Whether caregiving, grieving, or anything else we experience, finding fun, finding joy, is critical.
Thank you, Cathy!
“Whether caregiving, grieving, or anything else we experience, finding fun, finding joy, is critical.”
Amen to that! :)
What a heartwarming - and heartbreaking - story. I wish I'd had fun with my mom, the way you did. But Mom wasn't a fun person. She could be generous and kind, but she was also quite reserved. So letting me help her in the last years of her life, when she had dementia, was difficult for her. It was actually easier for me to accept help from nurses and professional caregivers because of this.
Thank you, Helen. Absolutely, for some, fun isn’t a natural part of the equation. I’ve had others say the same about their caregiving experiences and encountered many patients throughout my career for whom that was also the case.
Everyone has different gifts, and it sounds like your mom’s generosity and kindness were some of hers, and it’s beautiful that you recognized that. As well as being reserved. We need both introverts and extroverts for balance. :)
In your sharing it’s clear how much you loved her. Because you stood in the gap to provide what she needed, even if that was difficult at times. I’m so grateful you had help available and accepted it. Good for you. A win-win for you both.
What a lovely photo of you both, reading your story brought back memories of course of losing my own mum. Reading how hard it hit you and not being prepared, it is a massive shock especially when you think you're so capable and you'll be fine, and the reality is the opposite. I loved that you both had such fun together, that you made time to make sure you did, and that you got that help at the end. I know from personal experience how draining and tiring doing all that personal care can be, and you really need that energy to be present for your loved one. I'm glad you have your spiritual connection to God to support you now, and I know from reading this, that your experiences will be so valuable to the families you help in hospice.
Thank you so much, Khadra!