We used to chat for at least 30 minutes about recipes, her grandson or my latest writing project. She asked me about life in Kansas, and I listened to her descriptions of life in Oklahoma. We discussed the weather because it affected the various crops, and she knew the farm life still flowed through my […]
Several readers have commented, “I really like how Reverend G prays. She just talks to God, like a regular conversation.” This comment encourages me, but also saddens me. Have we missed teaching about prayer in our churches and cell groups? Do people not know that prayer really is just talking and listening to God? Or
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In my latest research, I’ve discovered several health professionals who suggest that the best food plan to prevent Alzheimer’s is the Mediterranean Diet. What does this diet include? Olive oil Nuts Fish Poultry Fruits Vegetables Basically, the idea is to eat real food, the food that God created – not the junk that man has
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As my siblings and I checked out the room in assisted living, we talked about the various pieces of furniture that best fit the space. We wanted to bring Mom’s furniture and accessories that would help her feel most comfortable in her new surroundings. Family pictures—of course, artfully displayed on the corner cabinet that belonged
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All my life, Mom made my birthday special. One year, she made the most decadent gooey chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted. I walked into the house after a long basketball practice, plopped into my chair at the kitchen table and eagerly sliced a piece of that wonderful cake. It tasted like love. During my first
Use the Life Story. Each of us has a life story and while we’re living it, we often don’t realize how important it is. The life story defines us, leaves a legacy and tells our loved ones who we were and how we dealt with each day and each situation. For caregivers, the life story
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A TV pastor recently said, “White lies don’t exist. A lie is a lie, and deception is always wrong. Tell the whole truth.” While I understood what he was trying to teach, I wondered—does he have any loved ones with Alzheimer’s? One of the struggles my siblings and I now face is that we sometimes
Forgive Me. Several times throughout the book, Reverend G tells her son, “Please forgive me.” As I wrote “The Unraveling of Reverend G” and researched more about this horrid disease, I told my son, “If I get dementia or Alzheimer’s and act weird, I apologize already. Please forgive me. I didn’t want this to happen.”
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During a recent hospital stay, my mother needed extra supervision. So, to give my sister a break from the constant strain of caregiving, I opted to stay with Mom in the hospital. One morning, Mom seemed especially agitated so I asked her, “What’s your favorite Psalm?” “Oh, probably 23,” she said. In my purse, I
Healthcare professionals emphasize the importance of caregivers taking care of themselves. Reverend G would agree. We can’t sit beside the bed day after day without a respite. We’ll go crazy. We need to take a break. We need to utilize the daycare centers for Alzheimer’s patients and share our struggles with support groups. We may
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