Caregiver Transformation

Back in 2008 one of my articles got published in a website’s humor section. They’ve since been bought out by Yahoo Contributors and somewhere along the line my article got moved to the beauty section. I can just imagine what people think who start reading it, believing what I wrote was meant to be serious make-up advice for older women. Beauty treatments that involve cloths pins? No Way!

Little did I know back then that I’d be in hot pursuit of real make up advice now that I’m no longer a caregiver and have the time to treat my face, nails and hair like the serious fixer-uppers that they are. But aren’t I worth it now that I have the time I used to spend helping with therapies, filling pills bottles and being a taxi service to an endless list of specialists and services? “Hell, yes!” the left side of my brains says while the other side laughs and claims it’s a lost cause.

My second venture into the world of spoiling myself consisted of an express pedicure and manicure. (The first was a deluxe pedicure and foot spa treatment.) The manicure didn’t even make it home before it was a mess and I had to remove all the polish. I won’t be doing that again, but I did manage to give myself a French manicure for the first time since the 1960s and I’ve gotten two complements on my nails from complete strangers, so I’m thinking this old lady did good on nail pampering.

My third venture into the realm of self improvement involved getting low lights put in hair. It’s been two weeks and I’m still not sure about doing it again. No one has mentioned it so I’m thinking it either looks too terribly fake to bring up or it’s so completely natural looking that no one can tell I did anything. Either way, I keep scaring myself when I walk past mirrors. Who is that person?

“Who is that person?” Exterior changes not withstanding, I suppose that’s the question all widows are trying to sort through. Who are we without our other half? The titles of wife, caregiver and best friend (to Don) no longer apply. What is my title now? Don’t we all need titles to define how we spend our time and energy? Seeker of Truth and Beauty---that has a nice ring but how would that look on my calling card? Pompous, that’s how. That’s something that belongs on the Dali Lama XIV’s business card. He has the credentials to back up a byline like that, not me. But he probably has something selfless like: “God loves Tibet” or something low key like: “Bringing balance into a hectic world.”

I wish I could find the balance in my world. Instead, I have a kind of restless anticipation not unlike getting ready for a blind date set up by someone you don’t entirely trust. I am falling into a routine, though, and that routine is getting busier and busier but that’s not balance. Not the kind of balance that leaves you falling into bed each night as happy as a cat in an Amish milking barn. If a social opportunity comes along, I go whether I really want to or not. I take Levi to the dog park and talk to another human almost every day. I feed my woodpeckers and finches and try to discourage the chipmunks from sitting two feet from the window where the dog takes up sentry duty. And I'm reading again. I am doing well for only being 110 days out from Don’s passing. Still, I want more out of life than routine and busy work. The real me that got lost in my caregiver years is out there for me to discover in my daily travels. I just have to keep moving forward until I find her.

The Dala Lama once said: “When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways--either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.”  I’m challenged and I am working on my transformation……….  ©

 

(Find my humor article on make up tips is here.)