Company

February 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I love company, especially when it’s my daughter and granddaughter visiting. The two days went by in a whirlwind. I will be too tired to move tomorrow, but it was worth it.

They just left and I’m hoping they won’t hit rain on the way home or a whole lot of traffic. Their trip was worth every minute to me. It just reminds me how much I miss them.

So, tired as I am I wanted to say hello and remind everyone to Adopt A Caregiver. Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Remember, someone in your own community needs a friend.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Why Should You Adopt A Caregiver

February 14, 2009 By 1 Comment

Why should you Adopt A Caregiver? To help and support a fellow human being who is struggling to maintain herself and the person she is caring for. It’s a wonderrful way to give something back, and so helpful to the caregiver who might be struggling and without someone to talk to.

All you have to do is send an email and offer to be his/her friend. Tell her/him that although you have never stood in a caregivers shoes, you are trying to put yourself there and then let the caregiver take it from there She might be able to open up to you as a friend, as she could never open up to her children or other family members.

When I wrote Behind The Mask, my secret journal, I never thought it would be published. But after it was, I decided it could help others understand the emotions and turmoil the caregiver faces every day. Mine was a secret journal, as we were advised to keep my husbands diagnosis a secret, so I poured myself into the journal, not wanting to be a burden to my children.

I know my book has helped others, they tell me that all the time. They say, “I never knew, why didn’t you tell me?” Well, I’m telling you so you can go out and Adopt A Caregiver in your community and say, my friend Helene sent me.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Happy Valentines Day to all.

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Too Busy

February 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Is there such a thing as being too busy, having too much to do all of a sudden. All of a sudden it catches up with you. And today I was a klutz. I fell over my own two shoes. No, I’m fine, didn’t get hurt, but I am a little sore.

I have to work on my Memoir Workshop papers, I have several long distance phone calls to make tomorrow morning, and then off to the Knitting Club here at Anthem, so I can knit and relax. I hope.

Saturday my daughter and granddaughter are coming to visit if the weather holds up and doesn’t rain or snow in the mountains on the way here from California.

So, to all you caregivers out there, I salute you. I don’t know how you do it day after day. I hope someone adopts you and tells you that I sent them to you. I hope you are able to write, vent, become a friend and that your day will be just a little brighter tomorrow. I wish you joy, peace, and love.

Adopt A Caregiver does work. I have the comments to prove that. Please send me yours.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Early Valentines Day

February 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Today was an early Valentines Day for the members of the Henderson Senior Center who came to our home  to see our collection of kissing couples. They had a wonderful time, and we had a wonderful time talking about different pieces of art and the stories around them. All faces were smiling as they to get on the bus to go to lunch. An outing that will stay with them at least for a few days. Howard and I loved it. A reporter and photographer were here also from the Henderson Home News and I think they enjoyed themselves also. I hope so. Will keep you posted if the article appears online.

I talked about my book Behind The Mask, and Adopt A Caregiver and a few of the women already were part of my program. They spoke highly about it. The fact they are doing their part, writing emails to someone who is a caregiver gives me great pleasure. In  a few days I will be telling you some of the comments I have received from both the caregiver and the one who adopted them.

As you all know, I have not been well, and I am far behind in my paperwork. But writing on this blog every night is a must for me. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Our Memoir Workshop is coming along nicely. I hope we will be able to do a great job and maybe take our workshop to some senior homes, or even do this workshop in one of our libraries.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Chronic Fatigue

February 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Remember my favorite saying. You need to stand in someone’s shoes before you can comment on how they feel, or why they do what they do.

Yesterday and today were the first two good days I’ve had in two and a half weeks. And there was also that little 9 week Chronic Fatigue attack after a shot in October. My doctor says, no more shots for me.

It’s hard to explain to someone how Chronic Fatigue makes you feel. Actually, I don’t think you feel anything. You can’t think, work, do anything, which might include sleep, even though you are thoroughly exhausted!

Today I went to Anthem Authors and we are working on a Memoirs workshop  for the entire Sun City Anthem Community. I am pretty excited about it, and so are the other participants. We each have a specific section to cover, and mine is to explain different ways of starting your memoir.

Would you believe I started mine with a manilla envelope, called Reflections Of Me. It has dates on it, 1993, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2009. In that manilla envelope I stuffed little phrases like, “What Mom said when I was born. Or, 10 years old and we moved, I thought my world was coming to an end. Or, Teen years, I was yanked out of my dreams. How was I supposed to know to be careful what I wished for.”

Little phrases like that so when I actually started to write, I had some place to start. If there is any interest in this, I will share more of it when we have more work done.  Let me know. Send me your comments. I promise to answer as many as I can.

Tomorrow is a big day for us. We are having a bus from the Henderson Senior Center coming to see our collection of kissing couples. They will love it. I was also told a photographer from the local paper will be coming also. When the seniors finish here, they will go off on their bus to lunch. What a nice outing it will be for them. I can’t wait. Will tell you about it tomorrow.

Several of the seniors have supported my Adopt A Caregiver program. They are glad to be involved and they say that writing that email only takes a moment, and they know the caregivers are so grateful to have someone to talk to.

So, give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Feeling Better

February 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

How nice to feel better. Only had two naps before 1:30 pm. today! Yuck.

But the rest of the day went well. Did some catch up work, some knitting, watched a movie with my husband and had to put my thinking cap on about Adopt A Caregiver.

We are working on Adopt A Caregivers new website and I want to put everything possible on it to inspire others to look into their community and Adopt A Caregiver. Caregivers are in every community and they need our help and our support.

I wrote something a long time ago called “No One Adopted Me”  my daughter said it was too harsh without some explanation. How much explanation does it need. The title says it all. It will be included in the new website. Coming soon. I will let you know as soon as it is up.

I have to review the content, and the text,  and send it off to my web guy and then he will set it up. I can’t wait. Now you know I am feeling better.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you. Just an email to let them know you care and you will stick around and listen.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Waiting For Tomorrow

February 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Tomorrow has to be a better day than today. I’m looking forward to waking up and getting things done. Ha, it’s been weeks since I’ve gotten anything done.

But, tomorrow will be different. It has to be. I’m so far behind now, it will take me several days, maybe weeks to catch up. In order to get something done, I have to feel better.

After ten days of antibiotics, sleeping all day for almost two and a half weeks, it’s time to wake up tomorrow with some energy.

Yes….

Tomorrow, we will talk about Adopt A Caregiver. I’m too tired right now.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Beshert (Means Meant To Be)

February 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Once in a lifetime something so immense comes up in your life, you just know it’s meant to be. Beshert. That is what happened to me last year.

In 1993 my husband was suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Not only was it a shock, but we were strongly advised to keep this a secret. Howard was still working, and they feared his working days would disappear.

I started a secret journal and poured myself into it day by day, so that I could smile for him. No one ever saw this journal.

Seven years later, the doctor changed his diagnosis and I felt we were freed from our prison sentence, one a prisoner of his mind, the other a prisoner of his soul.

When I was sure nothing else was happening, I showed Howard my journal. and he said, “Publish this, it’s our love story, and it might help someone else.”

It took me until last year to publish my book, Behind The Mask, and when I held it in my hands, I knew it had a purpose.

Adopt A Caregiver was born on that day. It truly is the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. We all know a caregiver in our community. All you have to do is send them an email and ask to be their friend.Tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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One Person Can Make A Difference

February 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

One person can make a difference, with a little bit of help.

Adopt A Caregiver: there is nothing to join, nothing to pay.

Caregivers are remaining silent behind their mask.

Together we can make this journey a reality.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing.

Adopt a caregiver, there is one in your community. Find him/her and send an email. Offer to be a friend.

If you want to stand in a new caregivers shoes for a few short hours, read my secret journal, Behind The Mask, published last year.

Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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Lonely

February 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Do you ever think about caregivers being lonely? They are with someone 24/7, but sometimes the person isn’t really there. Can you imagine what it feels like to be a caregiver?

They have feelings that they can’t express to anyone. Why? Because most people eventually leave them alone. All alone. It becomes uncomfortable, or others just drift away. But the caregiver is there, stuck in the same place.

Always have compassion for others. Stand in their shoes for a little while before you make your decisions. What would you do in their place?

That is what makes Adopt A Caregiver such a good idea. Its the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver and tell them your friend Helene sent you.

If  you don’t know what it’s like to stand in a caregivers shoes, read my secret journal, Beind The Mask available at my website.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

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