I ran out of ink printing the new-patient forms for my son's doctor appointment. I'm not kidding. Thirty-five pages and two hours later, I stacked the forms on top of two five-inch education binders already filled with hundreds of pages of medical, therapy, and specialists' evaluations.
I also had two CDs containing a sleep study and a three-day specialized video EEG along with his bag of medication bottles. I almost put a seatbelt around the suitcase-sized stacks so they wouldn't topple over on the way to his appointment. That week alone, we spent two hours with his primary care doctor and three hours with his eye doctor, returned a 24-hour bottle of urine collected for specialized tests, spent countless hours on the phone with the insurance company, waited at the pharmacy line, and got stuck in traffic. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the daily two-hour commute to and from school which includes $11.00 in toll fees. I think this is why it's a known fact that caregivers age quickly, are typically unhealthy, and then die early.
Pile your troubles on God's shoulders—he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin. (Psalm 55:22, MESSAGE)1Scripture quotation marked (MESSAGE) are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
No wonder Jolene is an expert caregiver! Her experience began with her father's illness when she was 2 years old and has continued to be the primary caregiver to several family members. Yet she is healthy, content, and at peace. She has figured out how to manage the unending demands of caregiving and has remained firmly grounded in God's sovereign care over her. The secret? She's sharing it with the world through her book and online "how-to" videos.
This interview reveals how valuable this resource is for us all.
How did The Caregiver's Notebook come about?
What age group would benefit from The Caregiver's Notebook?
What do we do with the overwhelming number of tasks caregivers have to keep in place?
How does The Caregiver's Notebook help caregivers with stress?
What happens when we don't feel like the Lord hears us?
Would you take this to the school meetings too?
What do caregivers need most?
What were some of your lonelier moments?
How can we use The Caregiver's Notebook to help families?
What encouragement can you offer to caregivers or those receiving care?
Will you speak to those who are caregivers now?
Jolene has included a sample you can download from The Caregiver's Notebook2Taken from The Caregiver's Notebook © 2014 by Jolene Philo and used by permission of Discovery House Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501. All rights reserved. www.dhp.org for you! The book is the perfect gift or tool for every family, not just caregivers. Cover to cover, Jolene has put order to the possible chaos of caregiving and life planning. Packed with wisdom, direction, organizational helps, devotional notes, biblical truths, stress tips, and great quotes; it's hope on the printed page. If you give one gift to a family in need, give this book.
Jolene Philo has been a lifetime caregiver. Before she began writing, speaking, and leading a host of online community support groups, Jolene was a teacher for 25 years. Author of several books, Jolene's work is practical, simple, and grounded in spiritual truth. Jolene is the mother of two grown children and currently resides with her husband in Boone, Iowa.
You can find all of Jolene's resources, books, blog posts, speaking engagements, online communities at DifferentDream.com.
Insight for Living Ministries offers encouragement through our topical pages, Special Needs blog, Facebook, and Twitter pages, all of which are accessible on our Web site.
1. ↑ Scripture quotation marked (MESSAGE) are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.