In April of 1975, I had a summer job at a tiny jewellery shop in Montreal. One Friday, I reluctantly left our house to open the shop – my Dad was dying in the hospital and that day, I found it hard to gather the energy to speak to strangers
Continue readingTag: caregiving
THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: Using Sight and Smell to Sense Change
Ask a new mother how she knows the meaning of her baby’s different cries. Ask about today’s diaper rash compared to how it looked yesterday. All that detailed information is stored in a mother’s (or father’s) head, recorded by the engine of love and caring. The same goes for caregivers
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: Caring for the Cancer Patient – Today: Mesothelioma
Recently, I received an email requesting a guest blogger spot on the subject of caregiving for people suffering from Mesothelioma, a type of cancer often caused by exposure to asbestos. This got me thinking that perhaps we should do a mini-series based on caring for various cancers. Perhaps a series
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: An Idea for Justice for you and you and you….
Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the barriers to people with disability or infirmity to pursue their aspirations and achieve their potential with the support they need and the dignity they deserve. Is my son more than the embodiment of his physical disabilities? Does my mother represent something
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: Is Caregiving Women’s Work?
Last week I had the pleasure and the privilege of speaking with a group of caregiver activists in a conference call hosted by WEGO Health, a terrific online information tool open to anyone wishing to advocate for health related causes. On our call was Wendy Kruse, founder of the Military Special
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: I am Fine if Nick is Fine
My last blog post was about saying ‘I’m fine’ when I am not fine. That got me thinking about the state of being ‘not fine’. For me and for most other caregivers I know personally, that state is most acutely felt when our charge is ill, injured or somehow away
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: Cranky Old Man – A Poetic Life Lesson
I saw this today while browsing the internet – it’s for us. We, who love and care for our ageing parents or our children, sisters or brothers with disabilities – this poem speaks about what we already know, because we give care. Cranky Old Man…..What do you see nurses? .
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: The Caregivers’ Best Friend – TYZE
My son Nicholas’ care is complex. He has round the clock one-to-one caregivers including awake night nurses by the bedside. Nick has a nasty habit of stopping breathing and the nurses rub his cheek or ear to get him going again. They reposition him frequently for pain and help him
Continue readingTHE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM - A Blog by Donna Thomson: Sex and The Special Needs Parent
There’s something about caring for a child with disabilities that takes the “red” out of “hot” in the marital bed. The arrival of a baby, healthy or not, can often put a damper on sex in the city. I remember comparing notes with other young Mums when my kids were
Continue reading