"Passages In Caregiving" by Gail Sheehy

[nyt]

The New York Times bestselling author of "Passages", Gail Sheehy has recently released a new book called "Passages in Caregiving." This book details eight crucial stages of caregiving that are based on the author's journey and experiences while caring for her husband during 17 years of neck and throat cancer. I think it is an important read for all of us and those who help take care of our needs such as spouses, parents and children. She talks alot about their research and journey in finding the appriopriate treatment options when physicians were giving them such different opinions and view (sound familiar?). She discusses the importance of finding the right dr. to be "The quarterback on your team" and the time it takes to find that right dr. She talks about redefining your "new normal" which I found incredibly helpful for me, just the terminology is helpful "new normal." She discusses the use of alternative medicine as adjunctive therapy. I found this book incredibly helpful to try to think of ways to lighten the burden on my husband and to keep his needs in the forefront of all our discussions, that my chronic pelvic pain isn't just about me, it affects all my family. Also, how to think about helping my aging parents. The book is full of resources that are available to help with aging parents and great ideas if you life long distance from them such as Skype. I highly recommend this book to my dear pudendal forum friends as a guide and aid in our life long journey to live healthy lifes just not physically but emotionally and mentally.

[Celeste]

I agree, it's a great book for anybody, because you never know if you will end up as a caregiver. I read part of it at the library but didn't finish it. I read an interview with the author and she said that when she wrote her first book, she was completely ignorant of a life stage that involved being a caregiver, and that empty nest time is most definitely not all happy, easy time for a big segment of the population. When her eyes were opened, she saw that there was a whole book in it. I'm sure it's been incredibly validating for people who understood the realities of it. I'm glad you liked it!

[A's Mommy]

NYT,

This book sounds great. I am thinking of getting it now for two reasons: one, for myself and my spouse due to my chronic pain, and two, for my mother, who is so stressed taking care of her aging and terminally ill parents who are now in skilled living.

Thank you for bringing this book to our attention.

God bless,
A's Mommy