As a caregiver, you know your family finances are probably different than those of some of your friends. You have medical expenses most of your friends do not have. Chances are good that your friends’ families are dual income families. Yours is probably not. Caregiving often brings its own unique set of financial burdens. Helpful [...]
My wife fell this past week. When she fell, I was in an airplane between Phoenix and Dallas headed for a connecting flight on my way home from the last session of the Faith-based Leadership Institute. She’s strong and independent, but a part of me imagines she wouldn’t have fallen had I been home. She [...]
Continue reading about Falling and Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Skilled doctors are busy people and tend to be very intelligent. Some of the mystique that surrounds doctors places them above most others on the social ladder. Not only that, but doctors tend to be “experts” in the very thing you need help with. It’s difficult for many people to think of doctors or talk [...]
“I need more Leg Hours in a day!” You’ve heard the term “man hours” before. I heard my wife use a new term today. It’s “leg hours”. “Leg Hours” are the number of hours in a day that my wife’s legs work well enough for her that she feels stable and productive. The number of [...]
A bad thing happened last night. So I called the National Poison Control number 1-800-222-1222. (There is also an excellent poison control website!) A calm, friendly voice answered, “Poison Control. How can I help you?” I, a little stressed, asked quickly, “My 30-pound Cocker Spaniel just swallowed one of my wife’s 5 mg Aricept pills. [...]
Literature exists because people need stories of others. Stories are why communities have libraries. Books of woe caution us. We’re encouraged by tales of people who advance against overwhelming odds. We’re quieted by stories of people with hope. Stories of others are important because they allow us to put ourselves in another’s place. Stepping outside [...]
We choose to face the future in one of two ways: prepared or unprepared. If you care for someone with a disease, daily needs and routines often require so much attention that preparation for the future sits on the back burner (bad pun alert). In terms of planning, I think every caregiver should consider fire [...]
I spent last week in Arizona at a leadership conference. It’s difficult to feel good about going out of town for a week because I worry I’ll be needed at home. Fortunately, cell phones, text messaging and email make it easy to communicate with my wife and daughters throughout the day. But there are things [...]
Shopping for a wheelchair is not like buying a new car. I think my wife and I had psyched ourselves up about wheelchair shopping. Personally, I expected we would walk into a store and find rows of wheelchairs all shined up and waiting for a test spin around the room. It wasn’t to be. My [...]
If you care for a spouse or other family member with MS you already understand the impact medical expenses can have on your family budget. The financial cost of a chronic disease like Multiple Sclerosis is high and the financial drain is constant. I was born in the early 60′s. I went to the ER [...]
Pets are not for everyone. And if you’re not an “animal person” you should probably avoid getting a pet. Pets require attention because they can do so little for themselves. If you feel stretched already, you may not want the additional work a pet requires. Now, with that disclaimer provided, I’ll begin to tell why [...]
I took a flu shot earlier this week. Afterwards, my youngest daughter and I were talking about influenza, how it spreads and why vaccinations are important. She was uncharacteristically silent for a few moments after we finished the flu conversation. Then she asked me the question I’ve dreaded, “Daddy, will I get MS when I [...]
My wife’s right leg is not cooperating with her brain the way it should. A podiatrist’s exam and x-rays ruled out any damage or disorder of the foot. Her foot and ankle are fine. But she’s not able to press the accelerator and brake with enough force to drive safely. Fortunately, she doesn’t like to [...]
If you pay too much attention to the news you will soon develop a whop-sided view of reality. It won’t be your fault, but it will happen nonetheless. Here’s why: Most of the news on TV and in newspapers is about unpleasantness, trouble, strife and evil. One can quickly become overwhelmed by the disasters, crimes, [...]
Continue reading about The World is Full of Good People. Thank them!
“I don’t remember if I took the medicine to help me remember things,” my wife told me last night, “so I didn’t take it in case I already did.” This morning I’ve searched the Internet for a way to organize her medications which will make it obvious for her that she has taken them or [...]
Sometimes it really is the little things that make it easier for an MS patient. Think about a door knob. Door knobs are simple and elegant in design. One simply squeezes the knob and turns it. If one has a good grip, that is. Without a firm grip, door knobs can be frustrating. Replacing the [...]
