Posted 12/14/20
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
Happy Monday to all! Only 11 short days until Christmas. Do you have your list finished started yet? I have a smidge done, with 100 smidges to go. 2020 has left me more in the spirit to celebrate and less in the spirit to buy 100 gifts and stress about money. Maybe that is just me?
Well, the saga of mom’s care continues. This morning I got word that she was found face down on her mat. Just a note here: She is incapable of falling out of bed minus another seizure. My assumption is that is what we are looking at. By the time we found out, she was back in bed and her vitals were better.
What this calls to mind is the simpler life (click this link for a couple pieces about it…). The 1950s is what is typically pointed to, but suffice it to say it is a time other than now. People mock the 50’s, but I love it. Social issues aside, things were easier to understand then.
I think every family can and should make this decision on their own and we should NEVER negatively critique them for what they choose…but it sure would be nice if we could make it on one income. I am not making a sexist judgement here. Anyone in the family can do it. We all have sooo much on our plates and it would take a generation to make it happen for many families, but it would help so much. Parents could raise children instead of the school or the internet doing so. When an aging parent needs help, we would have a family member who could help without breaking the bank. Assuming a 2 income (or more) family necessitates one quite quickly. Knowing you have enough money to add obligation after obligation makes it harder and harder to do without it. The wants and needs get mixed up quite quickly.
Sadly, this piece is NOT pointed at you as much as it is me. Mom needs me and I am running out of options to help. We are quickly scrambling to find a way to both take care of mom and get to see her. (Due to one COVID case, we are Shawshanked/locked out again for another month…possibly the last. It makes it very hard…harder than normal. And every penny I spend and have spent is a reminder of what we have chosen over what else…The guilt is as heavy as the unused weighted blanket from last year…
So I ask you for the impossible. If you are a young family, start preparing before you have kids…or at least early. Someday you will walk in my shoes and I hope you are better prepared than I have been. Time makes a lot of things possible, and reduced time shortens options… Start today.
Oh, one more thing. If you could kindly help us #EndALZ, that would be great too.
-Last thought: Tomorrow from 6-7ish CST we will have our (virtual) Caregiver’s Support Group meeting. If you would like to be involved, please shoot me an email -at mark.applegate@senioragemo.org or call me at 417-955-2513 and I will get you a Zoom link sent. I would love to have you swing by. 🙂 Our group is small, but we have a nice talk and can help each other greatly in a short period of time. 🙂
