Caring Category

Absence

Ninety percent of what I say at the moment are simple commands; “eat your food”“drink your water”“come on”“sit down”“stand up” On a good day it is peppered with “please”, “thank you”, and “you’re such a good girl”, on a bad day they are short and sharp, they hold any manner of things, anger, rage, frustration, […]

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Hine

One day you will become the embodiment of atua wāhine.It will be in the surrender that she makes her home in you.One day she will arrive and settle in your soul,early on you will go to war with her;How dare she come into your house!Most days you will not even know she calls you home.She […]

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An update…

I wanted to share some updates with you on Martha’s progress. While I may going through my own depression, Martha continues to thrive in her happiness.

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Blessings in everything

Six months ago the thought of calling alzheimers a blessing would of filled me with rage. How dare those words tumble from someones mouth so ostensibly! Alzheimers is not, in any way a blessing.. and yet I uttered those exact words a few weeks ago to someone I didn’t know, she looked at me with […]

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2017 won’t be great..

I do have a choice, and that choice is to walk with her till the end regardless of how hard it will be.

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Friday nights

Disclaimer: This is an honest real account of what my life is like caring for a person with Alzheimer’s, and whilst I appreciate your concern please avoid giving me advice on what you think I ‘should‘ be doing. I have regular respite, I have regular counselling and have a great support network.  Also, I swear […]

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Mama, I miss you..

It has been a long time since I put fingers to keyboard in an attempt to write a blog post. It has felt as if I have gone through a war, an emotional war, both sides of my brain at war with my heart. Processing emotions is hard, I don’t know if it is hard […]

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When it hurts, it hurts

I am hurting. The pain is radiating from my heart and spreading down to the tips of my fingers and toes. It feels as if my hair aches and my finger nails are digging into me. This pain and grief feels familiar, common but also unfamiliar. I have not bathed in grief for a long […]

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A life worth living..

Dear Katie Hopkins, It has been almost a year since you wrote this (and various other things about dementia); “Dementia sufferers should not be blocking beds.  What is the point of life when you no longer know you are living it? Bang me over the head.” I, fortunately, have only just stumbled across your careless […]

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A few helpful tips..

This time of year is a hard time for families caring for someone with alzheimers/dementia.  Services shut down or go to a skeleton staff, family and friends go away for the holiday season, it is hot, tiring and the days are long. Carers are often exhausted and will look that way. I know this from […]

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