Life as a Caregiver
I believe in following your heart, and mine leads me back to what I love, good coffee, a good book, and the relaxing sound of the ocean waves as they splash along the shoreline. My zen, my mental reset, but a place I do not get to visit, other than in my mind, very often because of life.
My life is amazing, yet complicated. I have five grown children and four grandchildren, and I am very active in their lives. I have a job I love in a hospital I truly enjoy going to each day, and then I have my sister, whom I care for each day. Now I'm sure you are wondering how that makes things challenging or complicated. Well, let me explain.
I'm close to retirement, and what I would love to be able to do is spend as much time as I can by a beach, writing my next book, or reading yours, and drinking the best coffee I can find. But reality has a way of changing what your mind thinks you should do. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm still going to do all of those things because writing, reading, drinking coffee, and sitting on the beach are things I love to do. But taking care of my sister, who has MS, staying active in my children's lives, and working, which I also love, will keep me from moving to an island and becoming a beach bum.
As you can tell by my career choice, I am a caregiver, whether it be at work with my patients, at home with my sister, or traveling to my children when they need me. I'm a caregiver; we all are in one way or another. Being a caregiver can be rewarding, yet exhausting. Full of joy, yet heartbreaking. Emotionally fulfilling yet emotionally draining. And it will alter all your plans, but you do it. You change your path when family or friends are in need, and you can give.
My life has changed a few times from what I thought it would be. I loved music and art. I could play all the greats on the piano and could paint anything put in front of me. Not only that, but I even won a full-ride scholarship to an art institute for painting, but life changed, and I went to medical school. Then I wrote my first book, and my life veered into another path. I had plans to put out so many books, yet life changed those plans. I still write. I used to fit my life into my busy writing schedule, and I now fit my writing into my busy life schedule. I don't regret my choices, I love caring for my sister, and I still write.
What I'm trying to say is have the dream, have the life you want, even if it's altered by the life you are given.
My life started out complicated. Look for 'Not my Mother's favorite' Coming out later this year.
Not My Mother’s Favorite
Loved for show. Forgotten for real.
Twelve-year-old Sam has learned a hard truth, her mother’s love depends on an audience. When family visits or neighbors are watching, her mother smiles, brags, and pulls her close, calling her the favorite.
But when the door closes, the affection disappears.
At home, Sam becomes invisible. She cooks and cleans for her mother and sisters and stays quiet. Wondering what she did wrong to be treated like the unwanted child in her own family.
As she grows older, the cracks in the illusion deepen. The praise feels fake. The silence feels heavier. And the realization becomes impossible to ignore,
this isn’t about earning love. It’s about a mother who doesn’t know how to give it to her.
Not My Mother’s Favorite is a poignant coming-of-age story about emotional neglect, growing up too soon, and learning that your worth isn’t defined by the love you’re denied.
Like a modern Cinderella, Sam lives in the shadows of her own family until her mother’s sudden transformation feels like a fairy tale come true. But when the illusion begins to crack, Sam must choose between the dream of belonging or the truth that could finally set her free.