Monthly Archives: August 2020

Becoming a parent was like Christmas for me

I always wanted to be a mom.

As children, my sister and I would pretend to be pregnant, placing balls under our shirts. As a fourth-grade teacher, I saw my future child in my students. And following marriage, I dreamed about what it would be like to be a parent.

Despite those dreams, we were unable to conceive and then an emergency hysterectomy forced me to face a truth—if I wanted to be a mom, I would have to take a different path.

Although many foster and adoptive parents have children born to them, for some of us these services offer a means not only to help children but also to become the parents they need and we want to be.

When short-term rehabilitation becomes long-term care

When older adults face an illness, the need for recovery from a hospitalization or support with daily activities, loved ones may think short-term rehabilitation is the perfect option.

Often, it is.

But we may also need to consider what happens if the loved one is not able to regain abilities fully. Where do you turn next at that point?

Organizations such as Diakon Senior Living Services can help. If you have an aging parent preparing for short-term rehabilitation, making slow progress or not meeting goals, you may want to consider discussing long-term care before it is needed.

Virtual racing: Easy, fun and flexible

A few years ago, I began a program of walking and running to help lose weight and improve my health. Eventually, I focused on running, gaining confidence to participate in a few 5K races—that is, 3.1 miles. Next, I tackled half-marathons, which are 13.1 miles.

And I always picked races for organizations whose mission I support and that benefit our local community.

My latest challenge? Virtual racing … which isn’t much of a challenge at all!