Download or read book Forever and Then Some written by Sue Clifton and published by . This book was released on 2021-09-22 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Together we fought but in the end, my Woody grew weary and wanted to "go be with the Lord." Now I sit alone in silence, surrounded by a shrine of oversized pictures of my handsome cowboy and I yearn for "Then some" which is heaven.

Download or read book Forever and Then Some Memoirs of a Caregiver with Her Love written by Dr. Sue Clifton and published by The Wild Rose Press Inc. This book was released on 2021-09-29 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Woody and I almost made our fiftieth wedding anniversary—a marriage filled with adventure: fly fishing, backpacking in mountains; living in exotic locations like New Zealand and Alaska; and retiring to a beautiful cabin high in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana. But the last two years proved traumatic when the monster Glioblastoma tore apart our dreams for retirement by stealing Woody's memory and sense of time and place, zapping his energy, stamina, and balance until standing and walking were impossible. The beast ravaged my love and instilled indefatigable fear in my heart and mind—the one who loves and cares for him beyond the bounds of human compassion and marital devotion. "If you need me, call me!" was his oath to protect me, and all I could give him in return was my promise. "I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND THEN SOME!" Together we fought but in the end, my Woody grew weary and wanted to "go be with the Lord." Now I sit alone in silence, surrounded by a shrine of oversized pictures of my handsome cowboy and I yearn for "Then some" which is heaven. Soon, my love! Soon!

Download or read book How to Live Forever written by Kimberly Best and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2019-10-11 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your life is a story, and it’s yours to write, all the way through to the end. There are numerous decisions to be made regarding aging, illness, and end-of-life issues, but many people put off those decisions until it’s too late. We may be purposeful in planning for our lives, but we often leave the last piece, the final chapter, undefined. How to Live Forever seeks to lay a foundation for people to live well in the time they have, to leave their stories behind as their legacies, and to write their own best ending so that their final wishes can be honored. Author Kimberly Best encourages you to consider what you want the final chapter of your life to look and feel like, providing you with tools and prompts that can help you have difficult conversations regarding legal decisions, health care plans, relationships, and death and dying. If we recognize the finite nature of our days, we can live purposefully, plan ahead for the end of our life story, and die without regret, living fully to the end and finishing well. Visit bestconflictsolutions.com for additional tools and worksheets to help you write your last chapter.

Download or read book The Memoir Project written by Marion Roach Smith and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2011-06-09 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An extraordinary "practical resource for beginners" looking to write their own memoir—​now new and revised (Kirkus Reviews)! The greatest story you could write is one you've experienced yourself. Knowing where to start is the hardest part, but it just got a little easier with this essential guidebook for anyone wanting to write a memoir. Did you know that the #1 thing that baby boomers want to do in retirement is write a book—about themselves? It's not that every person has lived such a unique or dramatic life, but we inherently understand that writing a memoir—whether it's a book, blog, or just a letter to a child—is the single greatest path to self-examination. Through the use of disarmingly frank, but wildly fun tactics that offer you simple and effective guidelines that work, you can stop treading water in writing exercises or hiding behind writer's block. Previously self-published under the title, Writing What You Know: Raelia, this book has found an enthusiastic audience that now writes with intent.

Download or read book The Art of Caregiving in Fiction Film and Memoir written by Jeffrey Berman and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-10-29 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bringing together the human story of care with its representation in film, fiction and memoir, this book combines an analysis of care narratives to inform and inspire ideas about this major role in life. Alongside analysis of narratives drawn from literature and film, the author sensitively interweaves the story of his wife's illness and care to illuminate perspectives on dealing with human decline. Examining texts from a diverse range of authors such as Leo Tolstoy, Edith Wharton and Alice Munro, and filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman and Michael Haneke, it addresses questions such as why caregiving is a dangerous activity, the ethical problems of writing about caregiving, the challenges of reading about caregiving, and why caregiving is so important. It serves as a fire starter on the subject of how we can gain insight into the challenges and opportunities of caregiving through the creative arts.

Download or read book Learning by Accident written by Rosemary Rawlins and published by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2014-03-04 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On a sunny spring day, in an ordinary suburban kitchen, the phone rings. There’s been an accident. In one heartbeat, a family’s life is changed forever. After her husband, Hugh, is hit by a car while riding his bicycle, Rosemary Rawlins is plunged into twelve months of marathon caregiving, without the promise of a positive outcome. She works herself to the point of exhaustion to bring her grievously injured husband—who suffered a traumatic brain injury, necessitating the removal of half his skull—back home and back to himself. Then, as he slowly begins to reclaim his life, Rosemary falls apart. She can't sleep. Her heart pounds. Her joy and trust in the world dissolve into endless anxiety. She lays awake at night wondering how her marriage will survive. Will she ever be able to relate to Hugh again? What will become of their relationship? Their children? Do they recognize each other—literally—as the people they fell in love with and married decades ago? How can she let go of her fears? And what can she learn from them? Learning by Accident is a caregiver's story of ambiguous loss, family love, and emotional healing. This compelling personal account demonstrates with heart and humor that what we fear can be more debilitating than any physical injury. And that sometimes starting over is exactly what we need.

Download or read book Where Is Jack Memoirs of an Alzheimer s Caregiver written by Sarah Burakoff and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2006-11-01 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At age 80, Sarah looked forward to enjoying the "golden years" with Jack, her husband of 40 years. Unfortunately this was not to be. After episodes of surprise, disbelief, denial and despair, Sarah finally had to accept the devastating truth; Jack had Alzheimer's disease and life would never be the same again. Now began her challenging task as Jack's caregiver. With the help of family, friends and a sympathetic social worker, she tries to make a life for herself while getting the best possible care for Jack. This loving and courageous woman recounts her experiences, heartbroken to see Jack slowly losing contact with the world around him.The episodes she describes are illuminating, sometimes sad, sometimes amusing but always difficult and frustrating. They were a challenge to her resourcefulness in working out ways to care for Jack and at the same time lead a life of her own. She could no longer share with her beloved Jack, the wonderful memories of days gone by.

Download or read book Dementia s Unexpected Gifts written by Barbara Luebke and published by . This book was released on 2020-09-30 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Unexpected Gifts" is a mash-up memoir / cautionary tale / love story. It is the narrative of the author's unexpected journey that transformed her from "caregiving is not in my wheelhouse" to exhausted caregiver making difficult decisions and eventually finding a path to personal growth. Drawing on years of emails, photographs and thousands of words in detailed notes she wrote for herself along the way, the author offers a brutally honest portrayal of her life as caregiver for her longtime partner as she developed dementia. The author believes that the more individual stories are shared, the richer and more nuanced our understanding of caregiving becomes. The earlier one realizes there is no one "right" way to walk the path of caregiving, the easier life is. In the end, then, this is a book about reliance.

Download or read book Memoirs of a Caregiver written by Cynthia Young and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2013-01-31 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alzheimers is a memory-robbing, debilitating disease that affects millions of Americans. For most families, having just one member afflicted with Alzheimers disease can be devastating. In her poignant memoir, Cynthia Young shares her story of love and devotion as she learns how to care for four family members stricken with Alzheimers disease over a ten-year period. Young narrates a journey filled with laughter, challenges, and sorrow as she commutes from California to Michigan to care for her mother, two aunts, and a cousin. She provides insight into how the disease progresses and gradually destroys the memory and abilities to learn, reason, make sound judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities. While sharing her personal story and detailing how she overcame each obstacle along the way, Young also teaches other caregivers how to use valuable resources, navigate the court system as a guardian and conservator, handle the Alzheimers personality, and search for an assisted-living facility. Memoirs of a Caregiver shares one womans inspiring story of unconditional love and courage with the hope that it will encourage and empower other caregivers to be diligent, strong, and, most importantly, to never give up. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be directed to the Alzheimers Association.

Download or read book Love You Hard written by Abby Maslin and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-03-12 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abby Maslin shares an inspiring story of resilience and commitment in a deeply affecting new memoir. After her husband suffered a traumatic brain injury, the couple worked together as he recovered—and they learned to love again. When Abby Maslin's husband, TC, didn't make it home on August 18, 2012, she knew something was terribly wrong. Her fears were confirmed when she learned that her husband had been beaten by three men and left for dead mere blocks from home, all for his cell phone and debit card. The days and months that followed were a grueling test of faith. As TC recovered from a severe traumatic brain injury that left him unable to speak and walk, Abby faced the challenge of caring for—and loving—a husband who now resembled a stranger. Love You Hard is the raw, unflinchingly honest story of a young love left broken, and the resilience required to mend a life and remake a marriage. Told from the caregiver's perspective, this book is a daring exploration of true love: what it means to love beyond language, beyond abilities, and into the place that reveals who we really are. At the heart of Abby and TC's unique and captivating story are the universal truths that bind us all. This is a tale of living and loving wholeheartedly, learning to heal after profound grief, and choosing joy in the wake of tragedy.

Download or read book Welcome to Wherever We Are written by Deborah J. Cohan and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2020-02-14 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this extraordinary memoir, Deborah Cohan shares her story of caring for her elderly father, a man who was often generous and loving, but who also subjected her to a lifetime of cruelty, rage, and controlling behavior. Trained as a sociologist and family violence counselor, Cohan reflects on how she healed from decades of emotional abuse.

Download or read book Be Brave written by Florrie Munat and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Florrie Munat became her husband Chuck's caregiver on the day he suffered a severe stroke. Any chances for his recovery were derailed when they learned that Chuck was also suffering from Lewy body dementia. After that devastating news, Florrie and Chuck assumed their loving marriage had been shattered forever. But what happened next surprised them. With honesty, humor, and compassion, Florrie's inspiring memoir invites the reader to walk in her shoes as she navigates the roller-coaster journey of caregiving for a spouse with dementia. Despite the daily challenges, she comes to appreciate the reciprocal nature of caregiving--with gifts both given and received. Eventually she discovers the most important lesson of all: that her role as a caregiver has helped her understand the depth and magnitude of her love for Chuck." P. [4] of cover.

Download or read book Motherland written by Elissa Altman and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2020-09-08 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “I’m reading this book right now and loving it!”—Cheryl Strayed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wild How can a mother and daughter who love (but don’t always like) each other coexist without driving each other crazy? “Vibrating with emotion, this deeply honest account strikes a chord.”—People “A wry and moving meditation on aging and the different kinds of love between women.”—O: The Oprah Magazine After surviving a traumatic childhood in nineteen-seventies New York and young adulthood living in the shadow of her flamboyant mother, Rita, a makeup-addicted former television singer, Elissa Altman has managed to build a very different life, settling in Connecticut with her wife of nearly twenty years. After much time, therapy, and wine, Elissa is at last in a healthy place, still orbiting around her mother but keeping far enough away to preserve the stable, independent world she has built as a writer and editor. Then Elissa is confronted with the unthinkable: Rita, whose days are spent as a flâneur, traversing Manhattan from the Clinique counters at Bergdorf to Bloomingdale’s and back again, suffers an incapacitating fall, leaving her completely dependent upon her daughter. Now Elissa is forced to finally confront their profound differences, Rita’s yearning for beauty and glamour, her view of the world through her days in the spotlight, and the money that has mysteriously disappeared in the name of preserving youth. To sustain their fragile mother-daughter bond, Elissa must navigate the turbulent waters of their shared lives, the practical challenges of caregiving for someone who refuses to accept it, the tentacles of narcissism, and the mutual, frenetic obsession that has defined their relationship. Motherland is a story that touches every home and every life, mapping the ferocity of maternal love, moral obligation, the choices women make about motherhood, and the possibility of healing. Filled with tenderness, wry irreverence, and unforgettable characters, it is an exploration of what it means to escape from the shackles of the past only to have to face them all over again. Praise for Motherland “Rarely has a mother-daughter relationship been excavated with such honesty. Elissa Altman is a beautiful, big-hearted writer who mines her most central subject: her gorgeous, tempestuous, difficult mother, and the terrain of their shared life. The result is a testament to the power of love and family.”—Dani Shapiro, author of Inheritance

Download or read book Already Toast written by Kate Washington and published by Beacon Press. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of one woman’s struggle to care for her seriously ill husband—and a revealing look at the role unpaid family caregivers play in a society that fails to provide them with structural support. Already Toast shows how all-consuming caregiving can be, how difficult it is to find support, and how the social and literary narratives that have long locked women into providing emotional labor also keep them in unpaid caregiving roles. When Kate Washington and her husband, Brad, learned that he had cancer, they were a young couple: professionals with ascending careers, parents to two small children. Brad’s diagnosis stripped those identities away: he became a patient and she his caregiver. Brad’s cancer quickly turned aggressive, necessitating a stem-cell transplant that triggered a massive infection, robbing him of his eyesight and nearly of his life. Kate acted as his full-time aide to keep him alive, coordinating his treatments, making doctors’ appointments, calling insurance companies, filling dozens of prescriptions, cleaning commodes, administering IV drugs. She became so burned out that, when she took an online quiz on caregiver self-care, her result cheerily declared: “You’re already toast!” Through it all, she felt profoundly alone, but, as she later learned, she was in fact one of millions: an invisible army of family caregivers working every day in America, their unpaid labor keeping our troubled healthcare system afloat. Because our culture both romanticizes and erases the realities of care work, few caregivers have shared their stories publicly. As the baby-boom generation ages, the number of family caregivers will continue to grow. Readable, relatable, timely, and often raw, Already Toast—with its clear call for paying and supporting family caregivers—is a crucial intervention in that conversation, bringing together personal experience with deep research to give voice to those tasked with the overlooked, vital work of caring for the seriously ill.

Download or read book The Dutiful Daughter s Guide to Caregiving written by Judith Henry and published by . This book was released on 2015-06-15 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Judith Henry's mother and father became ill in 2007, even her reputation as a pragmatist, a planner and a dutiful daughter (her father's term) couldn't prepare her for what lay ahead - a long list of concerns that included navigating an unfamiliar healthcare system, addressing financial and legal issues, dealing with stress and family dynamics, choosing a rehab center, and ultimately, making hospice arrangements.Doing what came naturally to her, she captured these experiences on paper - writing about what worked and what didn't; about finding humor in the oddest places; and the ways in which the past, present and future often intersect.As Judith looks back at her childhood, and reveals intimate stories about assisting both her parents years later, she also shares practical suggestions and critical information on topics every son and daughter should know as their own caregiving journey begins.

Download or read book Sick written by Porochista Khakpour and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Best Book of the Year: Real Simple, Entropy, Mental Floss, Bitch Media, The Paris Review, and LitHub. Time Magazine's Best Memoirs of 2018 • Boston Globe's 25 Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2018 • Buzzfeed's 33 Most Exciting New Books • GQ Best Non Fiction Book of 2018 • Bustle’s 28 Most Anticipated Nonfiction Books of 2018 list • Nylon’s 50 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2018 • Electric Literature’s 46 Books to Read By Women of Color in 2018 “Porochista Khakpour’s powerful memoir, Sick, reads like a mystery and a reckoning with a love song at its core. Humane, searching, and unapologetic, Sick is about the thin lines and vast distances between illness and wellness, healing and suffering, the body and the self. Khakpour takes us all the way in on her struggle toward health with an intelligence and intimacy that moved, informed, and astonished me.” — Cheryl Strayed, New York Times bestselling author of Wild A powerful, beautifully rendered memoir of chronic illness, misdiagnosis, addiction, and the myth of full recovery. For as long as author Porochista Khakpour can remember, she has been sick. For most of that time, she didn't know why. Several drug addictions, some major hospitalizations, and over $100,000 later, she finally had a diagnosis: late-stage Lyme disease. Sick is Khakpour's grueling, emotional journey—as a woman, an Iranian-American, a writer, and a lifelong sufferer of undiagnosed health problems—in which she examines her subsequent struggles with mental illness and her addiction to doctor prescribed benzodiazepines, that both aided and eroded her ever-deteriorating physical health. Divided by settings, Khakpour guides the reader through her illness by way of the locations that changed her course—New York, LA, Santa Fe, and a college town in Germany—as she meditates on the physiological and psychological impacts of uncertainty, and the eventual challenge of accepting the diagnosis she had searched for over the course of her adult life. A story of survival, pain, and transformation, Sick candidly examines the colossal impact of illness on one woman's life by not just highlighting the failures of a broken medical system but by also boldly challenging our concept of illness narratives.

Download or read book The Soul of Care written by Arthur Kleinman and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-09-17 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A moving memoir and an extraordinary love story that shows how an expert physician became a family caregiver and learned why care is so central to all our lives and yet is at risk in today's world. When Dr. Arthur Kleinman, an eminent Harvard psychiatrist and social anthropologist, began caring for his wife, Joan, after she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, he found just how far the act of caregiving extended beyond the boundaries of medicine. In The Soul of Care: The Moral Education of a Husband and a Doctor, Kleinman delivers a deeply humane and inspiring story of his life in medicine and his marriage to Joan, and he describes the practical, emotional and moral aspects of caretaking. He also writes about the problems our society faces as medical technology advances and the cost of health care soars but caring for patients no longer seems important. Caregiving is long, hard, unglamorous work--at moments joyous, more often tedious, sometimes agonizing, but it is always rich in meaning. In the face of our current political indifference and the challenge to the health care system, he emphasizes how we must ask uncomfortable questions of ourselves, and of our doctors. To give care, to be "present" for someone who needs us, and to feel and show kindness are deep emotional and moral experiences, enactments of our core values. The practice of caregiving teaches us what is most important in life, and reveals the very heart of what it is to be human.