Caregivers On My Mind

Caregivers have been on my mind. There have been so many new studies and findings in Alzheimer’s Disease, as seen on many websites. One I like is the Alzheimer’s Daily News. There are so many, too many to list, but for those who just want simple articles can do in depth with the above website.

One of the big shoe companies is making a GPS tracking chip that can be used for Alzheimer’s patients who are wandeing around. The chip makes finding these people quickly a huge factor in preventing accidents.

Other news is more and more people are being diagnosed, many early onset, meaning by the age of 63. I believe in early diagnosis and doing everything you can aggressively to slow down the progress of the disease.

So, what about the caregivers? Some people are caregivers by nature. But what about the others who are thrust into the position sometimes with no warning. These people are overwhelmed, alone, feeling abandoned, scared of the future, not knowing which way to turn. We can help.

What does it take to support a caregiver. Look into your own community and find a caregiver. A community is where you work, live, go to school, play bridge, golf, or attend a social club, church,  or synagogue. It only takes a few minutes to send an email, offer to be his/her friend, let someone introduce you, someone who knows this person. Start a friendship, you remember how to do that, don’t you? Listen, learn, feel. Do not judge.

If you don’t know how it feels to be standing in a caregivers shoes, read Behind The Mask by Helene Moore. This is my secret journal written during the seven years my husband had the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. We were one of the very rare few who had the diagnosis changed. We are blessed and this is my way of giving back.

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

Keep love and kisses in your life Helene

Writing Workshop

I attended an all day workshop given by Barbara deMarco-Barrett today at UCI. She wrote, Pen On Fire, which is a great book for writing practices that work. I thoroughly enjoyed the day. Lots of writing, creativity, and fun.

Went to dinner at my daughter’s house and came home early. Tomorrow going to granddaughter’s and husband’s house for an early dinner.

And so my time goes. To the family, reading, knitting and hopefully, I will get some writing in too.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Exciting Day Tomorrow

I’m going to a day long workshop at UCI called Jumpstart your writing, given by Barbara deMarco Barrett. I can’t wait.

Only problem is the Fibromyalgia, from 10 to 5  is a very long day for me.

I’m very excited about this, it might be a breakthrough for me and my writing. I have high hopes.

No matter what, it’s all a learning experience, and I’m ready.

I know I can find a half hour a day to write, so why dont’ I? Maybe I’ll find out the answer tomorrow.

I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Moore Writing Prompts

Blind date, no way

“What are you going to do, kill me?”

When we got married I thought we were in love; boy was I wrong.

Either pray to God or make a deal with the devil for one more day.

How long had she buried her head in the sand?

The photo came alive in her hand burning her with death; everyone in the phot was dead except her, or was she dead too?

I’m drowning in words

She had an eerie feeling it was time to pay the piper

Why now?

I am empty.

Those are just a few prompts I wrote, helping me to start writing on an empty page.

Experiment, try one or two, see where it takes you and good luck.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Writing Bits And Pieces

Some of my favorite ways to start writing are:

Open the thesaurus, find several vivid verbs, then pick a person, a place, and a thing and start writing.

Another way is to take one letter and write a story using as many words starting with that one letter. It’s fun and easy to do.

Go through some old journals and highlight events and good writing and use in an essay or anecdote.  Some good material might come out of this execise.

If you wonder about whether or not to include something in your memoir, afraid of hurting someone’s feelings, remember it’s your memoir and your memory, write it. Don’t let it stop you from writing.

When writing an email, remember that someone is reading this and you want it to read as if you were talking to this person. Make it personal, write it well, and send it knowing you did the best you could.

Send an email to someone who needs to hear from you. Forget the jokes, write something personal and meaningful so that person will want to open each and every one of your emails as soon as they get them.

Remember to support the caregivers. There are some in your community and they need a friend. Won’t you please give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, and tell them your friend Helene Moore sent you.

If you want to stand in a caregivers shoes, my secret journal is available on this website and on Amazon. Behind The Mask, written while my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and we had to keep it a secret because he was still working as a highly functional individual.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

One Thing Leads To Another

It’s always amazing to me to see how one thing leads to another. It could be in writing Memoirs. One memory triggers another and another and before you know it you have written several stories.

In my case, it was my own book, Behind The Mask that led to Adopt A Caregiver. Call it Bershert (meant to be) or call it one thing leading to another. After my book came out, I realized that I wanted to help support caregivers. They need the help as much as the patient does. But, who is going to be there for them?

How many times does someone call and ask, “How is the patient?”

How many times do the ask how the caregiver is doing?

There are more and more caregivers all the time and they could use some friendship and support. I call it giving back.

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

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Knitting And Doctor Appointments

I thought I was so smart today. We had a doctor’s appointment and I brought my knitting. But I forgot to bring a new ball of yarn. I had enough yarn to knit one row.  I seem to be committed to knitting right now, an easy way to do mindless things while watching tv. or when I’m too tired to think or do anything else.

I’m waiting impatiently to know whether or not my new greatgrandchild will be a boy or girl. Then I can start knitting for baby! July 6th is the ultra sound..busy first week in July, my birthday, her ultra sound, physicals for both of us, then a cysto treatment for me. That’s what you call an up and down week.

Have to take my granddaughter to the knitting store so she can pick out her colors. That will be fun.

I have decided to write a story by taking a person, place and thing and making a story out of it. One of my best short stories was done just this way. It’s on www.anthemauthors.com website.

A beautiful day today, sunny, warm nice.

Tomorrow is another day. Stay healthy, be greateful for being, and smile.

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

Keep love and kisses in you life. Helene

New Week/New Doctors

One thing about moving to another city, is starting up with new doctors.  Tomorrow we have an appointment with a Urologist, and Wednesday with a Neurologist. In less than two weeks we have our physicals coming up, again with a new doctor. I’m lucky my family lives here and is so helpful.

Same with starting new projects. New contacts. Knitting several new projects, reading Lis Wiehl’s new book, which is very interesting and well written, and looking for contacts for Adopt A Caregiver.

There are caregivers in every community. Just send an email, offer to be their friend, their support system, listen to them. They need someone.

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

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Father's Day

To all of you father’s out there, I’m wishing you a healthy happy Father’s Day.  To all the Father’s who aren’t there, or who don’t know us anymore, we know somewhere locked inside you know we love you, and will always remember you with love in our hearts.

I pray for speedy recoveries, for breakthroughs in medicine for Alzheimer’s Disease and all the other terrible diseases that are afflicting more people that we know.

I pray for help for the caregivers who work 24/7 no matter how tired or sick they become. They are not talking about it, not seeking help, not venting, keepng it inside and I pray that will change.

Give the gift that lasts forever and costs nothing. Adopt A Caregiver, there is one in your community. Look around, send an email. That’s all it takes.

If you don’t know how a caregiver feels, read Behind The Mask by Helene Moore.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Enjoy Every Day

Another friend passed away and I just heard about it today. I’vwe been talking about balance, and living life the way you want it to be when you can.

Take some time off for yourself, figure out what it is that makes you happy, then try to implement this into your daily life. It doesn’t have to take much of your time, it could be a short list, a grateful list, sit in the sun for about 10 minutes, do breathing exercises, stretching anything that takes your mind off yoursef. Just be.

Listen to your heart. Do a good deed. Read only about people who are good. Close your eyes and imagine a better world. Think good thoughts. Be kind to yourself.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene