Balm beyond Medicine
Guest post by Lana Christian My mother had weathered four decades of well-controlled chronic bronchiectasis before Alzheimer’s started to erode her life. Every time she was admitted to the hospital,…
Snowstorm
We seldom see frozen precipitation in the Mid-South, especially in August, but a freak blizzard had apparently struck my parents’ house. Snow-white material I couldn’t identify covered their deck. Once…
The Cat Lady
Guest post by Toni Lepeska My mother was a cat lady. And I resented it. My irritation grew each Sunday afternoon I spent scouring a half dozen litter boxes. As…
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
I walked into my parents’ house one day, and the stand that had held at least a dozen lush plants was gone. “What happened to your plants?” I asked Mom.…
Lines in the Sand
Guest post by Lana Christian We all draw lines in the sand. My father drew a line in the sand after he had a near-fatal stroke that left him completely…
Oil and Water
Sometimes our relationship with a loved one is like oil and water—they just don’t mix. Apart from a history of abuse, our personalities may simply clash enough that sparks fly…