Toot! Toot!

At the risk of tooting my own horn AND being redundant, I would like to say I was quite pleasantly surprised to turn on my computer this morning to find that I am this week's winner of a $50.00 prize in the Eldercare Share Your Story contest. I think everyone who has voted probably already knows this - thus the redundancy!

It's quite nice to be singled out among some many really touching stories. I am grateful.

BUT ....

(Sweetie hates it when I say that) I must say a great big thank you to all my voting public. You guys, known and unknown, have done your job repeatedly and well. It makes my heart feel good to have so many people rooting for me!

That said, it looks like I'm staying steady in 6th place. If I'm going to catch up with or pass by the leaders, I might have to stand out on the street corner and wave at people as they drive by. On second thought, I'll just ask that you keep on voting for the next week. Please know that I really appreciate it.

I didn't even have to think about what I'd do with the $50 prize. There is a lady in town who gives the most divine facials and I haven't seen her in ages. Dad thinks he should be given half the prize which is something I hadn't really considered. I asked if he wanted to come with me for a facial and he expressed interest in a "butt-al!" I guess if I'd been through what he's been through for the past few days, I might enjoy a nice hot, peppermint scented towel on my rear end too.

I hope when you go to vote you spend some time reading the other entries. Each and every one of them is pretty touching in its own way. I'd like to believe that caregivers are a rare breed, yet the truth is the number of people needing fulltime care is reaching almost epidemic proportions. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, loved ones and strangers who might never have thought about it are learning how to do the hands on work of caregiving. Most of us have probably taken care of babies, which is, in it's own way, hard work. Caregiving at the other end of the spectrum is very similar. The exception is you are dealing with a person who has had a lifetime of experiences, formed his/her own personality, and even in the throes of dementia has a set pattern of behavior. It's not so easy to put your mom or dad in a play pen and tell them to stay or throw them over your shoulder for a pat on the back.

If you read the other entries you find that caregiving is a rewarding job. It's also stressful, heartbreaking and exhausting. Bravo to Eldercare for giving caregivers a place to tell their story. If there is someone you know who is doing this job why not give them a call and offer a helping hand. It's hard to know what kind of help a caregiver needs. It could be a few minutes of rest for a cup of tea, or a sympathetic ear, or an offer of a grocery store run. A small bokay of flowers, a new cd, or piece of chocolate cake can go a long way in lifting a caregiver's spirits. But mostly it's the gift of your time and a listening ear that helps to make a caregiver feel loved and appreciated.

For all of you out there who faithfully visit my blog, each of you is a winner in my book,

Merry ME