I’m definitely learning as I go; but as long as I am and can pass along some of that knowledge to my kids (and to anyone else it may help), that’s all that matters.
~Angel
January 06: Life really creeps up on you, and although scary at times, it’s good to be aware.
January 10: Mom is not invincible like I thought, she needs someone to look after her now.
January 13: Having emotional support is half the battle…. thank you luv!
January 17: That some things are more important than selfishness.
January 20: Do a lot of soul searching and try to do what’s best for Mom.
January 24: Don’t underestimate the power of a determined Mom!
January 27: Live each day to the fullest and enjoy life!
January 31: Be sensitive to their feelings.
February 03: For a healthy body and mind we need to stay active and socially involved.
February 07: Don’t make rash decisions; think of all the options and keep Mom’s best interest in mind.
February 10: What I Learned: Only make sacrifices that you can live with – and don’t take them lightly.
February 14: What I Learned: With being such a stressful time, try to manage things to relieve stress.
February 17: What I Learned: Try not to do everything yourself – ask for help if you need it.
February 21: What I Learned: Stay focused – things will all work out!
February 24: What I Learned: I realized that Mom wasn’t super woman any more – someone really needs to step in at a certain point.
February 28: What I Learned: Bite Your Tongue! (and talk Mom into flying if there’s ever a next time)
March 3: What I Learned: Boundaries – gotta have em!
March 7: What I Learned: This is a huge undertaking – don’t take it lightly.
March 10: What I Learned: This is a huge undertaking – don’t take it lightly.
March 14: What I Learned: Everyone has their own way of going about things – try to understand.
March 17: What I Learned: Don’t underestimate a “hungry, I want company, I want to go out” Mom!
March 21: What I Learned: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
March 24: What I Learned: Having a supportive “significant other” is half the battle.
March 28: What I Learned: Bottom line…. my mom is stubborn!
March 31: What I Learned: There has to be rules. (Oh, and the toilets are lower in California!)
April 4: What I Learned: For you own sanity, tell it like it is – even if they don’t like it.
April 7: What I Learned: We’ve got to try to get along and make adjustments – but we still need boundaries.
April 11: What I Learned: It’s difficult trying to change someone who is set in her ways, but be persistent.
April 14: What I Learned: Family ties are important… and our son is awesome!
April 18: What I Learned: It may take an incident to make something understood…. and keep your distance from a woman with a 5 lb purse!
April 21: What I Learned: I’m not ready to slow down but realize that one day, I too will. Live it up while you can!
April 25: What I Learned: A lot of energy is spent going slowly – I’m not ready for that yet.
April 28: What I Learned: Get creative in the way you handle situations with an ageing, elderly parent.
May 2: What I Learned: My mom doesn’t want to accept the fact that she’s ageing – and I don’t blame her.
May 5: What I Learned: Losing memory can be very hard for some – I know it is for Mom. I’m trying to be understanding.
May 9: What I Learned: Caring for my ageing parent is difficult at times, but it’s also difficult for Mom.
May 12: What I Learned: It’s great to loosen up, but I think we’ll have Mom stick to 1 drink.
May 16: What I Learned: How fragile the mind can be… 
May 19: What I Learned: Don’t upset the cart – just push it out of the way.
May 23: What I Learned: Being lonely isn’t any fun – I guess fixing door knobs isn’t so bad after all.
May 26: What I Learned: The mind is a very powerful tool.
May 30: What I Learned: Denial seems to part of the ageing process – at least in my mom’s situation.
June 2: What I Learned: It can be a challenge caring for an elderly parent – it’s not for everyone, but I know we are doing what’s best for Mom.
June 6: What I Learned: I don’t want to be a caregiver – I just want to live my life while knowing Mom is taken care of.
June 9: What I Learned: Implementing safety measures is important – no matter the cost.
June 13: What I Learned: This is a situation that needs careful thought and planning – it will definitely affect all of us.
June 17: What I Learned: Stick to the normal routine.
June 20: What I Learned: You can only put things off for so long, and some changes can be for the better.
June 23: What I Learned: Don’t suggest anything to eat? (We’d probably still be waiting to order if I didn’t)
June 27: What I Learned: I don’t mind helping my mom out as long as it doesn’t become a real burden.
June 30: What I Learned: Some game playing is needed when caring for an elderly parent.
July 4: What I Learned: I need time with my husband and I shouldn’t feel guilty about it.
July 7: What I Learned: Keep the mind active and try to stay social.
July 14: What I Learned: Elderly people can feel helpless at times but their caregiver can also feel helpless.
July 18: What I Learned: I am going to do what ever I can to keep my mind from hallucinating – I sure hope I can.
July 22: What I Learned: Arguing doesn’t make things any better…. and stay away from the cell phone!
July 25: What I Learned: Hallucinations are real to the person having them and it’s impossible to convince them otherwise.
July 28: What I Learned: Taking care of my mom may get more and more difficult for me to handle as she continues to age – I may have to make a change in the near future.
August 4: What I Learned: I’m learning how to “read” Mom’s signs and figuring out a way to deal with them.
December 11: What I Learned: There’s a time when you just need to accept help from other people.
December 13: What I Learned: Dealing with an ageing parent is not easy; especially when it comes to handing them over to someone else.
December 15: What I Learned: Schedules are meant to be changed if it benefits everyone.
December 19: Be careful what you bring into the house – you can’t be sure what the mind is thinking.
December 29: Enjoy the party while you can!
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