Family
Cookies for Melina
It’s been a long time since I shared a recipe, and since Melina keeps requesting these cookies, and I can’t find where I shared the recipe before (though I’m pretty sure I did), I’m sharing it again. These soft, cake-like cookies are delicious and easy to make. This recipe originally came from Annie’s City Kitchen,…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Change the Subject
Over the last five years, I’ve spent a lot of time with people with dementia. I’ve also spent a lot of time with family and friends of those living with dementia. Countless conversations have filtered to my ears, and the greatest lesson I’ve learned there is not to argue with someone who has dementia. Now,…
Read MoreSaga of the Great Toe, Part III
The last time I wrote about my great toe was way back in February 2013, long before I had this site. Then, I mostly wrote about whatever my day involved, and you, lucky readers, got to ride along. Now I know a few of you steadfast warriors made the jump with me from Heptadecagon, and…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Tailor Your Responses
Today’s quick tip was inspired by something Tallulah Willis said about her father, Bruce. As those who’ve spent any time with people living with dementia know, each day is never the same. Sometimes, our loved ones will be chatty; other times, they refuse to speak. Some days involve plenty of smiles and the next day…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Walk Away
One question I get asked fairly often about The Weight We Carry is whether or not I have personal experience with dementia. Why yes, yes I do. My maternal grandmother had Alzheimer’s, my mother had Alzheimer’s, and my father has vascular dementia. I’m choosing to ignore what might be in my future at the moment…
Read MoreThis Saturday in April
As much as I like to read other people’s newsletters, I’m not so great about getting one of my own out each month. Which is why I switched to a quarterly newsletter, but even then, I didn’t prioritize writing it. Like many authors, I want to spend my time writing books, not newsletters. But many…
Read MoreOn the Occasion of What Would Have Been Her Seventy-Ninth Birthday
Dear Mom, Today you would have turned seventy-nine! In an ideal world, you’d still be alive and mostly healthy (or as healthy as a person of that age can be, which is pretty healthy). I’d call you up, ask chat with you for a while, wish you Happy Birthday, and maybe send some flowers. Dad…
Read MoreTwenty-Two: Make It Up As You Go Along
Dear Zoe and Talia, Several months ago, I wrote “Twins Birthday Letter” in my planner so I wouldn’t wait until the last minute to sit and write to you. I’m happy to report that I began this post six days earlier than I have the last two years, though it remains to be seen if…
Read MoreThe Great Barometer
Mom didn’t like talking about menstruation, but she did tell me at least one thing: If you’re lucky enough to have a regular cycle, chart it so you won’t be taken unawares. I’m sure she didn’t specifically use those words (Mom would never say “taken unawares,” but that’s what came to mind when I sat…
Read MoreSee You at the Library!
I am so pleased to say I’ll be speaking at Wright Memorial Library in Oakwood, Ohio, on Thursday, September 21. That’s two weeks from today and World Alzheimer’s Day. On that night, I’ll give a behind-the-scenes look at my second novel, The Weight We Carry, which showcases the toll that navigating parents’ health crises can…
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