Even caregivers should have a Christmas blog...if they can find it.
As my brother-in-law's caregiver, every Christmas I was worried about how I would get Larry and that monstrous wheelchair he needed because of the devastation of MS, to my house. We had to create a makeshift ramp to get his behemoth wheelchair up the two steps into my front door. Luckily, along with my 7 siblings, I have 6 in-laws. These are very creative people.
Willy devised the ramp, and provided that ubiquitous van that appears in a few of these blogs, where he also created a Cirque de Soliel mock up of clips and straps to keep the wheel chair from swinging around like a carnival ride on the way to my house.
My husband set up the holiday table in a manner that Larry could enjoy his dinner, manipulate around the room and enter and leave for smoking with my brother, Chip and his wife, Linda who kindly refused to give up smoking so Larry would have a partner in crime.
My sister, Maggie and her daughter, Julie cooked dishes that Larry liked so he could have a real respite from institutional food. Her husband, one of those sainted in-laws, Jim, carted every dish and pie to the kitchen in special carriers he made.
Every one of my siblings, Tina, Caren, Bill, Heidi, and those fantastic in-laws, Randy and Hap all contributed in some way. Then there were the 8 grandchildren who could come, some with spouses, some with kids, some with dogs, all who brought a smile to Larry's bearded Santa face, just like the Christmases of old when my sister, Cindy used to be with us.
Larry turned that monster truck of a wheelchair around on a dime in my hallway and put a big gouge in my red painted wall with the special textured finish. Hmmm.
It was reminiscent of the year, Willy had a weird heart episode at my sister's house and the ambulance crew put a big divot in her hallway hardwood floor.
We looked at each other and let out a gasp.
And then we had a real Steffanci Christmas. We just laughed and laughed. it's a wall, not nearly as great as China would build, and so what.
Merry Christmas to all caregivers everywhere, walls were meant to be taken down, especially when it's done with laughter and love. How 'bout that Mr. Trump?
"You Just have to Laugh....."
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