CAREGIVING IS.....

Being a caregiver is one of the most important jobs there is. A caregiver makes a commitment to assist in improving a person's quality of life. Without caregivers, many people, including me, would not survive.

Caregiving is 24/7. It is a never-ending sometimes thankless job, Caregivers are tired, but caregivers never have the right to yell at their clients, make them feel ashamed when accidents occur, or not assist them with their needs in a timely manner.

Caregiving is being empathetic toward a client. Understanding that they did not choose to be disabled.  They do not like to have to rely on other people to live their lives. They are grateful for the care they are given. Clients should never be made to feel like they are a burden. Or that they are bothering their caregiver.

How can a client respect their caregiver when the caregiver tells them to stop talking, they do not have to talk.to them, and answer their client's questions. Questions must always be care-related. Not even a simple inquiry about the weather is allowed. Caregivers who desire respect need to give it to their clients as well.

A caregiver should never tell a client that they do not care. They should never call clients names or curse at them. Clients are aware that a caregiver can always get another job. The client only gets one life. When a caregiver makes statemates like these, more than once, the message they are sending to their client is that the client does not matter

Caregivers should ask themselves this question. Would they want their loved one yelled at or disrespected in any way by the person assigned to care for them? 

There are many awesome caregivers. Caregivers who work tirelessly to serve their clients to the best of their ability. If you are cared for by one of them. appreciate them. Do not take them for granted.

Caregiving should be done with respect and empathy. Maybe just a tiny bit of love. That's what caregiving is. It's a two-way street. It may be difficult to respect a caregiver when the client is told to stop talking. Just keep trying. Take it one day at a time.

 

I WILL REMEBER YOU

Cynthia For showing me what strength and courage look like. I can still see you sitting by the front desk. I can still hear you saying, "Is that Joanne? How ya doin' honey?"

Randy For your love of Happy Hour, snacks, and a Bud Light.

Mary Lee For the way a Medea movie made you laugh.

Marilyn For your love of crafting. You came to visit me that first day. You told me that everything would be okay.

Bert For your knowledge of theater and music. You loved a good glass of wine. 

Norma For the stories you told me about going to Crown Candy when you were growing up. Your face would light up when you talked about it. Your eyes twinkled.

Lorraine  For saying, I"ll be your friend," when I needed one. You loved Tom Jones.

 Melvyn For showing me that even though you lived in a nursing home you still lived your life. And, you lived it with dignity.  

Some of these people died from Covid. Some from other illnesses. It really doesn't matter. What matters is what I learned from each of them. They were my fellow residents. We had disagreements. We worked through them. We understood each other's struggles. We were a family They were my friends. I miss them (especially now) every day.

NOW WHAT?

My paperwork to get the Covid vaccine.is on the way I am excited. I see a light at the end of the darkest tunnel there has ever been.

I am scared. This leaves me with a  big question hanging over my head. Now what?

I know it will be a while before it will be safe for me to move after I am vaccinated.

My inner voice keeps asking me, "Are you sure that is what you really want to do?  You better be damn sure. The third time better be the charm. You're not moving again. (My inner voice can be so bossy.)

The staff does a great job of physically taking care of me. I am grateful to them

The problem is that I am more than just my physical body.

I love my room. It'd be foolish to move.

Loneliness may win out over the awesome accommodations  

I have much to think about. 

I hope that I will be vaccinated soon.

.I want to be happy.

I want to have a peaceful life.

I want my inner voice to be silenced.

DEMOCRACY

The definition of democracy according to  Merriam-Webster is. 1a: government by the people especially: the rule of the majority. b: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy

On January 6 2021  our president encouraged his followers to riot on Capitol Hill to block President-elect Biden's win. Democracy prevailed despite the chaos and destruction Trump and his followers caused. Joe Biden has been certified the winner. Whatever they tried to do to block it the will of the people prevailed.

The last four years have been filled with fake news. A leader who did not work for the people of this country but only for himself and his followers. A leader who exemplified hate. Our government was not a democracy. It was a dictatorship.

Today Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.)  became the first GOP lawmaker to call for invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump from office saying, Trump “abdicated his duty” to protect Americans in Congress, “inflamed passions” that fueled the insurrection, and half-heartedly denounced the violence — what the congressman called a “wink and a nod” to his supporters trashing the Capitol.  

Kinzinger said, “All indications are that the president has become unmoored, not just from his duty, nor even his oath, but from reality itself,”. “It’s for this reason that I call for the vice president and members of the Cabinet to ensure the next few weeks are safe for the American people and that we have a sane captain on the ship. ”https://thehill.com/homenews/house/533112-first-gop-lawmaker-calls-for-invoking-25th-amendment-to-remove-trump

I hope the lawmakers of this country will invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Rump from office. Impeachment is another option. That process would take longer. 

Trump condoned the destruction of Capitol Hill. He must be stopped. He needs to face the consequences of his actions. And, if possible, his presidency eradicated. 

I want to be proud to be an American again. I want to feel safe again.

Lock Him Up.

 

CARPE DIEM

2020 taught us that our lives can change in the blink of an eye,  We've always known it. COVID-19 has shown us how fragile and fast a blink is. 

The positive lessons I learned in 2020 are:

Life is short

Appreciate family and friends

Do the things that bring you joy

Be proud of who you are

It's okay to be weird and crazy

You don't need a lot of friends

One or two who get your  weirdness is enough

Laugh a lot

Don't let anyone steal your joy 

Carpe Diem

Seize the day

Happy New Year!

 

ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Christmas 1970.  I received The Partridge Family's first album that year. It was the first album I'd ever gotten.  I'd bought 45's but never an LP. This was a big deal.

I became, like every other girl my age, obsessed with the series, and David Cassidy. Besides buying their albums I had a subscription to Tiger Beat's Official PF Magazine, and I became a member of their fan club. I am proud to say I had a full set of PF bubblegum cards and even a PF comic book  Was I a fan or what?

When the cover of my copy of Tiger Beat's  Special David Cassidy edition came off,  my grandma made a new cover for it. She also helped make. a PF scrapbook. She'd cut the pics out of magazines. I'd glue them onto the scrapbook pages. (More about my cool grandma later..)

In November of 1971, The Partridge Family's Christmas album was released. I told my mom I wanted to buy it. She told me I'd get one for Christmas. Not before Christmas. What?  She could not be serious.

"But Mom," I wailed, "what good is a Christmas album if you get it on Christmas? I will only get to listen to it for a day. Christmas will be over. I'll have to wait a year to listen to it again. All my friends are getting it now. I'll be the only one who isn't." (Yep I said it)

"I don't care when all of your friends are getting it. You're not getting it until Christmas," my mom told me. She meant it.

My grandma had broken both of her hips. She used a walker. She'd not done her own Christmas shopping for many years. My mom did it for her. While I was wailing about how I'd die if I did not get The PF Christmas Album before Christmas the album was safely tucked away next door at my grandma's house. My grandma planned to give it to me.

When my grandma heard about my plea to get the album early she overruled my mom and gave it to me. (My grandma was the most awesome person on the planet. My grandma's cool factor that year was off the charts.)

I remember the green album cover with snowflakes on it. The slot held a Christmas card from the cast The back cover featured a photo of  Shirley Jones and David Cassidy done in snowflakes. All was right in my world.

I think my mom loved that album even more than I did. Playing it became a tradition for us. She enjoyed the entire album/ Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree was her absolute favorite. She'd dance around in our living room while I feigned embarrassment.

I listen to The Partridge Family's rendition of Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree on YouTube every year. This year I listened to the whole album via Spotify. I teared up.

It is Christmas at my house. Her favorite Christmas album is playing. My mom?  She is dancing her heart out.

Image Credit: Amazon Music

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I DON'T NEED SHINY AND NEW

The halls of the house have been officially decked out for Christmas. Money was donated to buy new decorations. All shiny and sparkly. Three mini trees. One for each of us. I turned down the new decoration. 

My tree was given to me by my friend Nancy. She gave it to me for my first Christmas here. A white tree stands in the living room of the house. My housemates chose it. Don't misunderstand me. White Christmas trees are cool. I am not trendy. I am old school. Christmas trees are green.

My mom painted the wooden ornaments the entire year after my father died. They were on our tree for our first Christmas without him. I can still see her sitting at a card table painting them while we watched TV. I can't imagine having a tree without her ornaments on it.

My paternal grandparents owned a grocery store. This Santa looks dapper, in his white boots. He was the Coca-Cola Santa one Christma. My grandparents gave him to me. I think I was about four years old. I remember stroking his beard the entire day. Santa stood proudly on our coffee table at home every year.

My Christmas stocking. isn't it cute?

 By the time I arrived, the pattern that my mom used to knit my brother's stockings had been discounted. No wreath and candle for me. I got a snowman. My stocking is smaller too. I love my stocking Sixty-three Christmases. It looks as good as new.

Lucie loved Christmas. She went crazy the year her stocking arrived filled with treats. Each year after that whenever she saw her stocking she knew Santa was coming so she'd better be on her best behavior. Santa never forgot her even though Lucy was never on her best behavior.

These decorations remind me of eating Ravioli and The Pasta House Salad on Christmas.Eve. I ate my mom's burned Christmas cookies for dessert. (A little charcoal never hurt anybody.)  Opening presents. My brother gave me a bottle of Electric Reindeer. My family. Laughter and fun.

Vintage decorations. The history.The memories. Those decorations are the best.