It’s been a while since I’ve talked to a group of people about my experiences with my mom and my book, Almost Home. This Wednesday afternoon I’ll be doing that with a small group of caregivers at Memory Café in Waterford CT. (See previous blog-post). There is something about meeting primary caregivers that absolutely humbles me. I have such admiration for what they do, day in and day out. Oh sure, before my mom entered the nursing home I’d do some hands-on stuff for her when I’d stay at the house for a couple of days, but that pales in comparison with what I expect the people I’ll meet Wednesday do routinely.
         As secondary caregiver or long-distance caregiver (or guilt-ridden-distant-daughter?) or whatever I might have been called, “all” I had to do was visit. Visit and see my mother slipping further and further away from me. I think the only thing I can hope to share on Wednesday is 1.) How God’s grace saw me through it; and 2.) How journaling provided an emotional release. It’s all about sharing life preservers (as I’ve said before many times).