New Book - Caregiving: How to Survive and Get Out Alive.

I am so proud and excited to announce that I am getting my new book published! Once again, I am going to self-publish it and I have already submitted it to the on-line publisher to be put together. I also plan to send it out to a few agents since I would love the experience of it being published on a large scale, but I just really, really wanted to get it out in the world.

The book is about my experiences during more than ten years of caregiving! (An astonishing reality I figured out about halfway through writing the book – ten + years! That’s crazy.) It’s really a how-to this time, with some memoir pieces to back up what I’m saying about caregiving. I’m aiming it towards all caregivers, with a special emphasis on new and potential caregivers, and younger caregivers – like me.

What are the subjects, you ask? Well, as all caregivers know, there are certain topics and issues that are universal to caregiving and are talked about and debated and chewed over constantly. Things like: why does family not help out more? Should I lie to my care receiver? What should I do about driving and taking the car keys? How do I break everyone out of denial of the situation? And more.

I’ve taken a lot of those issues, which I’ve learned about through personal experience, my groups, and just reading all the great blogs, forums, and sites out there…. And I talk about them! Honestly, straightforwardly, and humorously, using my own stories to illustrate. I’ve gone chronologically from the denial that my family suffered from in the beginning, to living with my dad as his caregiver, to placing him in a facility, to having problems with family, to what I anticipate on his death.

I’ve also included stories about the unexpected turns my own life has taken, and what I’ve done to create a life for myself alongside of caregiving – something I think all caregivers need to do in some way. I’ve gone through some crazy stuff in the last eleven years, or so, plus, caregiving really brought me to what I consider my vocation – helping other caregivers!

The book will be available on Amazon and at the CreateSpace site, and I will provide those links when I have them. I hope you will read it and enjoy it when it comes out because I have created it for you!