Tag Archives: RIP

July 6, 2024 · 12:22 pm

Thinking of Mom on her birthday

Mom would have been 87 today. While Mom and I were opposites in many ways, I did gain an appreciation of music from her. She loved her Martin guitar and it survived several moves with her. She taught me to play a bit when I was a kid; it kept me occupied over those long, hot summers in California. After she died, the guitar was one of the mementos that I cherished the most, so it’s now in my home. I’ve attempted to play it again sporadically, and hope one day I can dedicate enough time to be able to play casually again.

I also inherited an appreciation of a wide range of music from my mother. She loved listening to everything from Mozart and Beethoven to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. She even tried to appreciate the music I loved growing up, and the music video craze of the 1980s. I think Cyndi Lauper was probably her favorite, because she was so fun and colorful.

Mom would be proud knowing I was still sharing our family caregiving story with others. You can listen to my appearance on the Caregiver SOS podcast on Spotify or your preferred podcast hosting service. I’ll write more about the appearance in my next post.

A reminder: I’m participating in the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale. Get the e-book version of my award-wining collection of personal essays, The Reluctant Caregiver, for half-off (just 99 cents!) during the entire month of July. Enter the code SSW50 at checkout.

Check out my summer book recommendations for caregivers for even more books to help you on your caregiving journey.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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November 20, 2023 · 8:00 am

Remembering Rosalynn Carter, dedicated caregiver advocate

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Former first lady Rosalynn Carter died Sunday at the age of 96.

Carter was well-known for her caregiver advocacy work. One of her most famous quotes sums up the universal importance of caregiving:

“There are only four kinds of people in the world—those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”

Rosalynn Carter,
Former First Lady of the United States

Carter, much like her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, didn’t just deliver speeches or donate money to caregiving causes. The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers was established in 1987. The Institute conducts important research on the impacts of caregiving and has launched programs like Working While Caring, which partners with employers to address the needs of their caregiver employees. The Institute also has programs dedicated to dementia and military caregivers.

The Carters were married for 77 years, a union that was a true and loving partnership.

For more on Carter’s long life dedicated to giving back to others, visit her tribute page.

The best way to honor her memory is to continue her mission, to create a society in which caregivers are supported and have the resources they need to thrive.

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June 18, 2023 · 12:00 pm

Happy Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day. For those whose fathers are still living, I hope you get to spend quality time together. Its not about the gifts or the celebrations but simply time spent together.

Dad wasn’t one for big events. Father’s Day in our household were simple affairs, maybe a walk in the park and then a dinner at one of his favorite restaurants. In this photo we were at a park that had a library next to it. My father’s idea of heaven on earth!

For those of you like myself, whose fathers are no longer living, may you find treasured memories to reflect upon. And for those who have/had difficult relationships with their fathers, I hope you can focus on your own healing today.

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December 28, 2021 · 10:43 am

Farewell to a sweet soul

I had to say goodbye to my beloved Rosalie two days before Christmas. She went into respiratory distress and a large mass was found on her trachea, which was almost entirely blocking her airway and ability to breathe. Because of its location, her age, and her condition, there were no realistic treatment options. I decided to let her go while she was still under anesthesia from the diagnostic procedure so she could slip out of this world as peacefully as possible.

Rosalie came into my life at the worst of times (my mother dying) and departed during another tough period of my life. I was fortunate to get six years with her delightful spirit. She was by far the easiest cat I’ve ever cared for and very affectionate. While I’ve loved the timid cats that I’ve adopted over the years, Rosalie was not shy at all. Nothing much seemed to spook her. She lived every day soaking up the simple pleasures of life (sitting on the heat vent or napping on the heated blanket during the winter, enjoying food, being petted, knocking her favorite crinkle ball toys under the couch) and I would marvel at how content and relaxed she was no matter what strife I and/or the world was facing.

I may have jinxed her by thinking she could be my “20 year old cat,” because she had the calm and happy-go-lucky demeanor that centenarians often have. Alas, cancer claimed her just a month after her 15th birthday.

The day I adopted Rosalie I put aside my normal common sense and went with my gut instinct. It was just days after another one of my beloved cats had died and many people would have felt it was too soon to adopt another. The weather that day was dreadful and for any other event or task, I would have opted out. Navigating through violent thunderstorms, I arrived at the shelter and met with Rosalie just minutes before another adopter arrived asking about her. From that fateful beginning, Rosalie and I forged a special bond.

She taught me that sometimes rules and traditions are meant to be broken and she could have taught a master class in self-care. I will be forever grateful that the universe brought her into my life.

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May 15, 2019 · 9:32 pm

The healing power of humor

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The world lost one of its great comedic talents with the passing of Tim Conway this week. My mom loved watching him on The Carol Burnett Show, and I watched episodes with her as a pre-teen and teenager.

One interesting note was that it was reported last year that Conway had dementia. His daughter had mentioned the diagnosis in court filings. But when his obituary was filed, it made note of the fact that he did not have dementia or Alzheimer’s, but instead had excess fluid on the brain.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the outpouring of condolences from a variety of generations. I was unaware of his later voiceover work for animated productions until I checked out his IMDB profile.

We could all use a little more innocent humor nowadays, with the world seemingly so full of hate and division. While one of Conway’s best-known skits (and funniest) is “The Dentist,” I stumbled upon “Dog’s Life” and thought it was hilarious. Conway became his characters, even when they were non-human. His attention to detail elevated his comedic ability to a whole new level. Enjoy, and share with anyone who needs a mood lifter this week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibsleUFe7qw

 

 

 

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October 5, 2016 · 8:00 am

RIP Miss Norma

miss-norma

Photo via Driving Miss Norma/Facebook

I’ve written before about how inspiring I found Miss Norma to be. At 90, after losing her husband and being diagnosed with stage IV uterine cancer in a short period of time, Norma decided to skip grueling cancer treatment and “hit the road.”

Norma joined her son, daughter-in-law, and dog and embarked on a year-long adventure of a lifetime. The journey was lovingly documented on the Driving Miss Norma Facebook page.

But all good things must come to an end. Norma Jean Bauerschmidt died Sept. 30, 2016. When asked how she wanted to be remembered, Norma said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if others could just spread joy in the world.”

Wouldn’t that be nice indeed.

Her bright, upbeat, and loving spirit will be missed, but I will forever be inspired by her choice to embrace quality of life and truly live the time she had left in this world. Norma in many ways reminded me of my own mother. I’ve included a couple of my favorite photos and posts of her below.

In memory of Norma, do something special for someone you love, or for a complete stranger. Spread the joy!

 

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