All You Need Is LOVE

Valentine's Day is a day for people to "Celebrate" their love for another.  There are lots of Valentine's Day History, Facts and Stats to be found just a *click* away right HERE.  

Personally I do not need a "special" day to profess my LOVE to my LOVE, as really there isn't a day that doesn't go by when I do not feel love for him.  However just because there isn't a day I don't love him, doesn't mean there hasn't been days in-between that we haven't really LIKED each other too much.  *Smile*

"I have been blessed to have this in my lifetime ... "

This morning I awoke with yet another headache, however the migraine was gone leaving me totally drained and weak, it only being a sinus headache.  I was happy Rob was here with me as he looked after our "gang" all day for me.

My brother, Allan, and I had a meeting with the Administrator at the Gateway Haven Nursing Home where our Mother now resides.  He picked me up and off we went for our 10:00 am appointment.

After our meeting up for a visit we went to see Mother to take her a Valentine Card, Roses and a Tim Hortons coffee, as she loves Tim Hortons Coffee.

"Mom's room is located on the 3rd floor of Gateway Haven in the East Wing.  She has a lovely window view."

"The room is very large bright and airy, shared by our Mother with another lady.  Had her "cue" then *smile* Mom !  Kind of messy looking with my coat thrown at the bottom of her bed, shame on me, but dang it is hot in those places."

All went well with the intake meeting with the exception of a bit of paperwork I still have to gather such as the updated POA (Power of Attorney) papers.  I found something very interesting today that I had not known about until now.

The last 6 years my brother has been exercising Mother's POA Finances, and the past couple I have been as her Caregiver.  I could not find the POA paperwork today, as I had given it to the other Nursing Home and either did not get it back or misplaced it myself, so I had to contact the lawyer where we had it drawn up to request another copy.

This is the part I had just found out today ... the lawyer's office would not release a copy of Mother's POA papers to me unless a Doctor authorized that indeed my brother and I were needed to act on her behalf.  The lawyers did call the Nursing Home to verify with them that this indeed was the case.

I asked the lawyer's office why this was.  The answer very simply was family members have taken POA papers acting on behalf of another in an illegal way.  Wowsers ... all along we, as in my brother and I, had never been asked for a Doctor's consent when we have exercised POA on our Mother's behalf.  Really what the lawyer's office explained made complete sense to me, with I know this having probably happened to many an unsuspecting poor soul(s) taken advantage of by a terrible despicable family member(s).

Really dealing with CCAC, in-home PSW workers, paperwork, lawyers, nursing homes, community services ... it most certainly has been an experience over the past six years for me.  I should have kept notes all along as I am certain a Handbook on the subject would be a great service to others who have yet to do this for their own parents.

Speaking as a Caregiver, what I can say to another, which I learned about at the last month or so of Mother living with us, is about the VON Support for the Caregiver(s) here in Grey-Bruce.  Now is a perfect time for me to give them a SHOUT OUT, as they are holding a Caregiver Day to give the opportunity for Caregivers to learn more about gaining support/services as a Caregiver.

I still deal with some feelings within myself finding myself reaching out from time to time to the VON Support Circle for support.  It is nice to know they are still there for me when I need someone outside my family/friend support to lean on. 

Should you not be in the Grey-Bruce area, please pickup the phone to find out if the VON in your area has a Caregiver Support Circle for your needs as a Caregiver.  Just *click* HERE to find where in Canada an office is closest to you.

I must be feeling better, shooting out all that information !!!

Once our meeting and visit with Mom was over Allan dropped me off downtown where I met up with Rob since we had some "Crabby Cabbie" business to attend to.  After that was all done with guess what I got ......

".... a card, scratch tickets, roses and carnations !!!  I must have been a really "good" wife and friend all year to have gotten all of this ! or maybe secretly he is after something?  Ha .. that could be it !  *smile*"

This afternoon I took it easy as I was still feeling ill and weak from the Migraine.  After a Dinner of homemade Hamburg Soup I finally started feeling a bit better, and now actually starting to feel a bit more my normal self, whatever "normal" might be considered at times.

Late this afternoon around 4 pm or so the sky filled with large fluffy snow flakes; you know the kind you stick your tongue out to catch.

"Can you see them a wee bit in these photos I took?  Oh "hello there Buddy"."

I must take a moment to wish two very "special" people I have gotten to know over the course of the past year and more a very very Happy Birthday.  Yesterday was Dear Lena's Birthday over at Frugal and Thankful, and today is Carla's Birthday over at My 1/2 Dozen Daily.  Both these girls have a special place in my Heart, as they are wonderful Wives and Mothers with a huge place in their hearts for everyone else who happens their way.  Happy Birthday Girls you both deserve the BEST in your lives.

To everyone else ..... not to forget "all you need is love".

This is all she wrote this day, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Self Care Is NOT Selfish

A "caregiver's" role in life has many faces, would you not agree to this?  Unless you have personally been a caregiver to someone for any length of time, I am certain all these faces might not be evident to the average person.  But then again, I am sure to some degree in life we have all been a "caregiver" of sorts whether it be towards a human, animal or plant life.

Myself, on a personal level, had been a "caregiver" to my Mother for over 4 years when she resided with Rob and myself until moving into the Golden Dawn Nursing Home in Lion's Head a Year ago this past June. 

As much as you love the person you are providing care for it can still be very stressful, in turn giving cause at times to neglect one's self.  I can not stress enough, how important is it to provide "self care", as this is something I am sure I neglected to do many times.  I learned to be a "caregiver" at a very early age, well before my teen years, however that I might bring forth another time, or not.

Although I found out about the VON Caregiver Support Service at the very end of my Mother living with us, I still found much support through the transition of her going to a Nursing home, still receiving support when required for my feelings or whatever my needs be at any given moment.

Today was one of those days when the VON Caregiver Support program reached out to give back, once again, to the Caregivers and Volunteers ....

I was off and out the door before 9 am this morning as I had been looking forward to the "Self-Care is Not Selfish" seminar all week.  Driving through Owen Sound I could not help but notice a couple of "others" enjoying their morning ...

"Each appearing to be in their own little World taking the freshness of the day."

"This would be Mary Winkler, VON Coordinator for the VON Grey-Bruce  

Supportive Care ~ Hospice Visiting Program,  taking over the shift from Jessica Slater-Hamilton, VON Program Coordinator for the Caregiver Support Circle & Jacqueline Herbert, for greeting all who came to attend this day."

Once everyone had settled in with a morning beverage and snack it wasn't long before we were introduced to the featured speaker, "Lara Stewart-Panko, BA/BSW, CH, HBCE, Counseling & Hypnotherapy".

"What an inspiring and motivating speaker I found Lara to be.  Totally interesting and well learned in where her expertise lies.  She first walked us through an enlightening "Full Body Relaxation" exercise before we grouped up together for some reflection on "the Process of Personal Co-Creation"."

Lara had a break for a bit while Kelly of Chicory Common Natural Foods & Cafe in Durham, touched on a few benefits of natural remedies in the way of teas and aromatherapy.

"Kelly had brought a very wide selection for our perusal, also available for purchase.  Anything needing an explanation, Kelly was more then pleased to assist."

Once Kelly had been so kind to help those of us with our inquires or needs, it was time for us to "break" for lunch.

Lunch was all homemade and had been so kindly provided by the ladies who volunteer for VON Hospice.  I was really impressed with all the wonderful homemade food fare ... a curry dip, with a promise from the lady who had made it that its recipe will be sent to me via email.  A Quinoa Salad which Lara, herself had made and brought along that was to "die for".  This recipe I have in my "hot little hands" as I now type about it ... it will be posted once I get me some Quinoa !!!  Thanks Lara !

Once our wonderful lunch had came to an end, it was on and forward with Lara leading us all into the art of making our own concoction of choice with Essential Oils.

Before going ahead with the "actual" making part, Lara first explained WHAT Essential Oil did for each Common Complaint, and then onto the Cautions and Contra-Indications of each.  All of which she explained very thoroughly with answering questions along the way.

"Then it was time to begin .... "

"Starting with a "base" oil, in our case Grapeseed Oil, we went on to add the Essential Oils needed to complete the concoction of our choice.  In my case it was a Massage Oil for Anxiety & Depression, wherein I added Bergamot, Lavender and Neroli Essential Oils."

Lara was very quick to forewarn all of us when smelling each of the Essential Oils, not to mix and match any of the lids as that would compromise the oils.  Good advice to begin with in consideration of how many Essential Oils there are, or in turn that had been made available to us this day.

With our oils made along with any assistance required by Lara, it wasn't long before we all had our own concoctions made and readily bottled.  

Mary Winkler closed with a "thank you" to all, as well as putting her "net" out there for anyone who wasn't involved and might be interested in being involved as Volunteer for VON.  

Once again it was another wonderful day put forth by the Grey Bruce VON .... warm thanks as I so appreciated it being acknowledged that "Self Care is NOT Selfish".

Driving through Owen Sound, homeward bound at this point, I had to stop ...

".... to admire this very impressive show of Halloween Cheer !!!  I LOVED every bit of it !!!"

Arrived back home, I was pulling in our driveway to notice bodies entering through our front door.  Happy happy day as ....

"My Rip-tail Snorters were here to greet me.  Here our  Grandboys all happy happy happy also be be at Grandma and Poppa's house.  Hey there, Aiden and Connor."

"They had even brought their Mommy, Holly along."

"Much to Bandit's delight, their father, Paul had also came along too."

It has been a busy day.  Thanks to my Slow Cooker, carrots, potatoes and steak were cooked up to perfection within a matter of 4 hours, as I then busied myself by putting together a dessert.

"Order put in for the day was Apple Crisp."

Easy Peasy as 1-2-3 .... Recipe Please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE. (NOTE:  frozen "thawed" apples had been used this day).

For some reason it has seemed to take me much longer then usual to get this post done this evening.  I wonder if it has something to do with a few pleasant and unusual  distractions I have had going on around me, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".