Leeza’s Care Connection Open House – A Beautiful and Inspiring Event
Leeza’s Care Connection at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center’s Open House on Monday, October 8th was a beautiful and inspiring event.
All guests were greeted by “caregiver ambassadors”, experienced Judy Prescott’s poetry from her book “Searching for CeCy; Reflections On Alzheimer’s”, contributed to an original art piece created by Prima Marketing Inc. and as always were touched by the words of wisdom from Founder, Leeza Gibbons.
Special thanks to following people and organizations for their wonderful and amazing support! We are happy they are part of the Leeza’s Care Connection community:
A.Fio Photography, Abex Exhibit Systems, Lifeline Companion Services Inc., Prima Marketing, Inc., Senior Care Consultants Inc, Caregiver Ambassadors: Alayna, Angie, Burt, Eileen, Henia, Holly, Judy, Linda, Maggie, Miriam, Sue, and Suzie.
And finally to the amazing Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center community that has really made us feel welcomed!
My mother was my best friend. After 7 years of watching my mother slip away from me. I became her champion. I have learned that I must laugh rather than cry. My mother is in a facility very near my home. I try to take familiar items with me to stimulate her memory. Mom has 5 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. I am keeping a journal of visits with my mother. One day a few years ago, I felt the need to write the following verse. I hope sharing this will bless other women. who are now caregivers of their mothers. I have a friend who is a photographer and I ask her to photo my mother as she is now> With old photos, we created a trio of photos of my mother from age 20 thru 86. We also took a picture of our hands. These are treasures that will help the family remember “NaNa”.
” As I came into the world, I remember the tender hands of my Mother, caressing, dressing, changing, fluffing and fussing about her new little bundle of joy. She had a beautiful name it was MOM. I started to crawl and would bump into things and cry, Mom was always there. Her hand would come toward me like a bug scoop and then I would be in her arms, with her hands holding me tight and I felt secure. Walking, she would hold onto my hands and let me teeter and totter on my clumsy little feet. You see I was a petite little lady.
Mom sewed all my cloths, as I was always too small for store bought cloths and she could not afford to buy then anyway. I was dressed like a princess, always cute and pretty. I started school and Mom’s hands looked strong as helped me decipher the numbers and letters I was trying to learn. As I got older, Mom did not seem to age at all. She taught me to sew in a special way, Mom’s way. Iy was with purpose and always one of a kind. I never had to worry if another girl was wearing the same thing, cause mine were Mom’s originals. I began to sew dresses for myself, using the unique techniques my Mother had passed on to me.
Mother was always crafty. She could make anything and everything for any occasion, out of almost nothing. Whatever I wanted to be for Halloween, Mom would find a way to fulfill my every wish. She passed on her crafty handy working hands to me. I soon became the one making dresses for my daughter and grand-daughters.
As I hold my Mother’s hands today, they are still smooth, but the skin is as thin as tissue paper and you can count every little vein in her hands. The veins look farm to market roads on a road map. Her hands look like a skeleton’s hands with a little membrane of tissue over the boney shape of her hands, which once were the center of my world. Now, I am the hand she holds for comfort.”
Written by: A Loving Daughter, Charlotte Canion
Dear Charlotte:
Thank you so much for sharing your heartfelt and inspiring story with us and with all caregivers out there. What a special way to honor and share your mother’s story. May we share your story on our social media pages as well?