Tag: grieving someone who is still alive

My Mom’s Alzheimer’s Battle Was a Roller Coaster Ride

During my mom’s 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s, I felt like I was on a roller coaster that I didn’t agree to get on. I don’t even like roller coasters in the first place. They make me dizzy and nauseous and they’re not even that much fun. And the roller coaster of my mom’s Alzheimer’s was … Continue reading My Mom’s Alzheimer’s Battle Was a Roller Coaster Ride →

7 Tips for Coping with Ambiguous Loss/Grief

Ambiguous loss occurs when there is psychological absence with physical presence. This occurs when a loved one is emotionally or cognitively gone or missing, but still physically present. This can be caused by Alzheimer’s/dementia, traumatic brain injury, mental illness, addiction, depression, etc. With this type of loss, there is a loss without certainty, closure, or … Continue reading 7 Tips for Coping with Ambiguous Loss/Grief →

6 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When My Mom Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s

I don’t know about you, but I knew next to nothing about Alzheimer’s when my mom was diagnosed with the disease. I never knew anyone else who had it and like so many, I thought it was just about memory loss. I learned so much over the ten years that my mom lived with the … Continue reading 6 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When My Mom Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s →

9 Thoughts I Had While My Mom Was Living with Alzheimer’s

When you love someone who is living with Alzheimer’s disease, you often feel alone in your thoughts and feelings. You may wonder if anyone else thinks the same thing or feels the same way. I hope to reassure you and normalize the thoughts caregivers may have while caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. These … Continue reading 9 Thoughts I Had While My Mom Was Living with Alzheimer’s →

Don’t Pressure Yourself to Live Up to the Hype of a New Year

I hated the hype of a new year when my mom was living with Alzheimer’s. It seemed like everyone was given the promise of a fresh start—a new beginning—except for me. I rolled my eyes at everyone with their goals and resolutions because it made me feel like I was stuck or behind in some … Continue reading Don’t Pressure Yourself to Live Up to the Hype of a New Year →

Dear Alzheimer’s Caregiver, Your Feelings Are Normal

Dear Alzheimer’s caregiver, I want you to know something. Whatever you’re feeling right now—however you’ve felt in the past—it’s all completely normal. Your feelings are completely normal. Do you feel sad, angry, depressed, isolated, or overwhelmed? Do you feel helpless, hopeless, lost, and alone? Maybe you feel happy about something else going on in your … Continue reading Dear Alzheimer’s Caregiver, Your Feelings Are Normal →

Changing Your Perspective Won’t Change Your Circumstances, But It Will Change You

When I was in the thick of my mom’s Alzheimer’s, I often felt down, depressed, and hopeless. I mostly focused on all that I had lost and would continue to lose as my mom declined. I would read things about being positive, finding joy, and hunting the good stuff and I would scoff. How could … Continue reading Changing Your Perspective Won’t Change Your Circumstances, But It Will Change You →