Talking to Loved Ones Who Can’t Answer
Our family was at the cottage recently when we got news of an old friend who had died young of a heart attack. That got us talking about memories of…
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…
Saying "I’m Fine" When I’m Not
Yesterday I was chatting with an online friend – a mother who is lightyears ahead of me in wisdom and experience. We were talking about coping with the stress of…
Keeping the Demons at Bay
Yesterday, I wrote about those disaster scenarios that have a way of poisoning our imaginations. Today, I’ve been thinking about some strategies that I use to keep the demons at…
The Caregivers’ Worst Fear
Every caregiver has a worst fear – a nightmare scenario that unfolds like an unwanted, sinister guest in the imagination. It might be triggered by the sound of an unusual…
Why Do I Care, Why Do You Care?
I just love when I receive messages from strangers who share my interest in exploring ideas about caregiving. Last evening, the little red number ‘1’ appeared above the message symbol…
A Very Welcome Virtual Dinner Guest
Last night the extended family, minus Nicholas and my Mum, were around the dinner table at the lake. Just fyi, on the menu was grilled salmon, black bean and corn…
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 –…
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…
7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Caregivers too!
This morning I was doodling around looking at online news when I noticed this article on the business page. “Hmmm”, I thought, ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ could be…
Love and Memory at the Lake
My husband Jim and I met and married ‘up at the lake’ as we call our summer place in the Quebec Laurentians. Jim’s parents met and married at the lake…
Malicious Whispers and Dangerous Trends
Occasionally, I will read something that another person has said or written and I think, “I just wrote about the same ideas last week! Are some of us wired to…
Should My Daughter Be Her Brother’s Keeper?
When my daughter Natalie was about three, her favourite game was ‘hospital’. This involved her lying in bed with toilet paper wrapped around her leg, making a cast. The whole…
Nick’s Home Had a Birthday!
When Nicholas was born in August of 1988, we thought he was perfectly healthy and normal – except perhaps for the fact that he was premature and weighed under four…
Young Carers’ Rap
Tricky P, rapping on being a young carer for his grandparents. A terrific young artist giving voice to the experience of roughly 108,000 in Canada alone who are under 18…
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…
Help for Caregivers
TYZE is a software programme that helps to coordinate a group of people who care about someone receiving care. If you care a caregiver, have a look at this video!…
New Blog Look and Book Review
Hi There! I’m working on making my blog better and easier to read. I hope that anyone who likes a particular post will share it! Also, I got an exciting…
Some Doctors are Better Than Others!
Some doctors are better than others – ask anyone with an ageing parent or a complex child. Do you know any doctor who still makes house calls? I DO and…
Why Our Special Needs Family Loves Technology
Recently, I was asked to contribute a piece on the subject of technology and parenting a son with disabilities for the blog http://vancouvermom.ca. Here is what I wrote: Article by…