To those that are still following the emotional journey of caring. Such a minor word, care, so easily swept past and unnoticed.
I have been there and lost and still caring but now dementia is my foe.
To you all at the beginning, middle and end of this journey - hero! Strength, fortitude, love. You may feel like you are falling apart but you are still here, still fighting, self sacrificing.
Today I just wanted to say thank you to all that got me through an often painful journey but one full of love and laughter too. Finding humour or beauty in our days is how we coped.
When faced with a flood of diarrhoea to say "wow, wish this was on a canvas, it would sell for a fortune in the Saatchi gallery!" and make them laugh. To go outside and see a dandelion pushing up between your neglected flagstones but providing pollen for a beautiful bumble bee. And our pets who will always nudge us and invade our space to offer companionship and comfort (or throw up on the doormat just as a guest is arriving!)
Nobody can do this journey for us but sharing it make a huge difference.
I can't share here very often now, as mine is a new path, and grief is still a path for me to follow. I do have a couple of good friends made on this forum, still battling on, I wanted to share a photo and a smile with them.
I hope that you, that are new to this forum, will gain the same benefits and friends I have.
Yes those are my husband's pj's!
Love and hugs Birdfeeder xx
Dear Bird feeder,
"I feel a little ashamed and confused as to why I have avoided the forum, since my hubby's death."
If only we could all give when we were able and take when we needed without judging, shoulding or guilting on ourselves....
For so long I simply took what I needed without getting involved with this community.
Yesterday I discovered that cancer isn't yet finished with the practical jokes and I am yet again replotting my course. At my lowest point I thought of this forum and because I had finally broken my silence here, I no longer felt alone. Simply by having reached out I had the sense of being part of a community and an image sprang to mind of all the others sitting beside hospital beds and how each and everyone of them would "get" what I was going through.
It's taken a year for me to learn that! (or a lifetime depending on how you look at it)
PS. I'm a counsellor, I really "should" know better shouldn't I? 
Much love to you Birdfeeder, and to everyone else on this roller coaster. xxx
