I have a confession to make. The Happy Healthy Caregiver Caregiver Spotlight episodes where listeners and family caregivers share their stories help me as much as I’m hoping they help others. Let’s call it a win/win or a ‘twofer’.
As the podcast host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver show, I have the privilege of helping to shine a light on amazing family caregivers. I call these recorded conversations Caregiver Spotlight episodes.
Shining a spotlight on other family caregivers and listening to their authentic stories of resilience, self-care, compassion, and acceptance affirm that I’m not alone on this caregiving journey and inspires me. Each conversation has informed and changed me in some way.
Story Sharing Makes a Difference
- My husband Jason was the primary caregiver for his mom who had lung cancer while I was also caring for my parents. Although we see each other daily, the look back on this concentrated and difficult time we spent together unveiled how much our relationship has strengthened. After our conversation, I felt actually grateful for this crazy shared experience because caregiving has definitely taken our partnership to a new level.
- I was reminded from family caregiver Beth Phillips who cared for her aunt with dementia, that caregivers sometimes volunteer to be caregivers. She saw caring for her aunt not as an obligation but rather as a privilege. I admired how Beth was realistically upfront with her family members about the help she would need. A wonderful example of how one family came together to ‘share the care’.
- My conversation with Colleen Kavanaugh who cared for both her parents for over a decade while raising her children, reinforced how important the simple act of intentionally expressing gratitude can truly be a family caregiver’s lifeline.
- My sister Susie is my hero. She cares full-time for our mom. We exchanged the primary caregiving baton in the Spring of 2016. At the time of this exchange, I was emotionally conflicted. I felt amazing relief with no longer being the point person for my mom’s care and yet I was also concerned that I was passing off a huge burden to my sister. Through Susie’s story of compassion, I have learned how blessed our world is to have natural-born nurturers like my sister. According to Susie, becoming our mom’s primary caregiver was not only a blessing for mom but also a gift for Susie since it gave her a strong sense of purpose after her divorce and kids leaving the nest for college and beyond.
- From Chris MacLellan, who cared for his life partner with esophagus cancer, I learned that grief is not something that has an end but rather becomes a part of us. For Chris, his grief helped empower him to be a better version of himself. In fact, he created the Whole Care Network to provide a platform for podcasts that help amplify people’s stories.
- Angela DiAnna cares for her mom who has Multiple System Atrophy. From my conversation with Angela, I learned how influential the National Caregiving Conference speakers can be. Angela was prompted to change careers based on something she learned at one of the sessions. She realized not only was she a caregiver for her mom but her boss required 95% personal work which was contributing to her burnout. You just never know how the words you share will land on someone’s ears or heart.
- Starbucks loyalist John Bozeman’s story was unexpected and warmed my soul. John spoke about the amazing care and friendship he receives from the coffee shop staff and the other frequent customers. A gentle reminder for me of how people are still good despite what you hear in the news.
- Family Caregivers Jodi Hempel and Lisette Carbajal‘s stories of how they cared for their parents while still in school made me feel grateful that caregiving did not impact me as a youth. Lisette’s father who was in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s wasn’t able to attend her wedding ceremony. While this was heartbreaking for her, Lisette recognized what was within her control. She was able to include her dad in several ways throughout her special day, including in her sweet wedding photo.
- Bruce McIntyre taught me about how resilient caregivers can be. Bruce spoke on resilience at our first National Caregiving Conference and in this caregiver spotlight episode. He shared stories of how he and his wife Kathy had to adapt to a new normal after she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease. Kathy’s sudden diagnosis greatly impacted her physical abilities to help with their two children and household responsibilities. This couple had to adapt.
- Many diseases remain a mystery. Adrienne Provost cares for her youngest daughter Caroline who was born with a rare skin disease. This disease requires hours of daily wound care and prevention. Adrienne’s passion for uniting families across the country who are impacted by EB and raising awareness to our medical community inspires me. Her conviction to share her story will certainly make a difference to others impacted by this rare disease.
- Balancing work, family, and caregiving is something family caregivers are constantly practicing. Liz O’Donnell, who cared for both of her parents while raising children and working full-time, compared work-life balance to her yoga practice. In both life and yoga, you can only achieve balance for a short period of time. Speaking with other caregivers like Liz has helped me gain new analogies which help to shape and shift my mindset.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed a tear while recording almost every Caregiver Spotlight episode. For me, the tear is a physical reminder of a sudden impact someone’s words had on my soul.
Take Action
Sharing our stories is powerful. Hearing someone’s story can shift our perspective and transform our actions.
I view these Caregiving Spotlight episodes as a convenient way for those sharing the stories to give their experiences space. Their act of telling them a service to all the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast listeners who may be struggling with a similar issue or may just be starting down their unknown caregiving path.
How will we all be impacted and changed by your caregiving or self-care story?
