❤ IN MEMORY ❤

My Love left us January 2022. He was 82. His years with memory loss and all his associated senior ailments were over.

Things happened so quickly. In that moment it seemed like our nearly 29 years together had been blown away by a wisp of air … gone.

Be present when caring for those you love. Remember, as you read and learn, that caregiving is a gift we have been given to share with our loved ones. Be the best caregiver, give love with every task you accomplish, every thought you think, or service you provide.
We get no do-overs.

I am ever grateful I was the one who cared for my love 24/7.
I understand the heartache, but keep loving.
Love never dies.
In loving memory, ❤ Judy Shone

” And I’d choose you.
In a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds,
in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.”
~ Kierstan White, “The Chaos of Stars”

COPING WITH LOSS

The blog post, Beyond Caregiving, briefly reveals my initial connections with grief following death. You may want to read it at some point, when you come to realize that grief has been a part of caregiving all along.

I learned, at this point, that even though we’ve been told to do it for years, we caregivers can now finally focus on caring for ourselves.

I have lost My Love and feel exceeding sorrow. I feel much grief for a deep loss of a precious love. If you are experiencing grief, take all the time you need to go through the grief process. Let no one tell you there is a time limit. There is not. It is necessary for healing. If you feel you need help, by all means reach out…to a friend, to a group, to a professional. Please, don’t grieve alone.

We all will go through loss – that is the cycle of life. But we are meant to help one another through this life, and that includes through our caregiving journey or our grief journey. ~judy

I was, and still am, fortunate to have been part of Acclaim Health Bereavement Support. It has been a positive, comforting, safe place to (confidentially) share thoughts and emotions with others going through similar heartache and sadness. The professional facilitator/counselor has listened carefully, and responded in non-judgmental and understanding tones. giving us all inspiration as we work through our own loss. Call them, or a group like them, where you live. You will have an opportunity to heal among those who understand as you all share emotional support with one another.

Life at any stage is not meant to be carried on alone.

Bereavement Support Program
ACCLAIM HEALTH in Oakville, Ontario,
offer grief counseling and groups.
Meet others who’ve lost a loved one(s)
in an encouraging atmosphere.
Process your loss in a safe, not-judgmental space.
Contact: 905-827-8800 for more information.

Wherever you live, don’t grieve alone. Find a local grief counselor, or someone you can talk to on the phone. Or locate a grief support group near you, led by someone who has education and experience to help you process your loss through positive and healing conversations.

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Poem image from the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Weekly email newsletter.

In Memory © 2022 – 2023 Judith Allen Shone