Jackie M. Care Companion in Vaiden, MS 39176

Even though, I grew up and left home, I still had the responsibility of handling all of my mother and my brother's financial and medical affairs. When I returned to Mississippi in 1997, I assumed the added responsibility of being their personal assistant. In 2011, my mother was 86 years old and my brother was 72. From October 2011 until August 2014, I became the sole caregiver for my mother and the assistant caregiver for my brother. There is not enough time for me to convey what I learned from these experiences. One of the most important lessons I acquired was that love is not static; it is active and it does not exist without an action. By caring for my own family members I learned how to love; I learned how to be patient; I learned how to be compassionate and I learned how to forgive. I also learned that a good pair of hospital gloves and a good sense of humor can handle many of life's unpleasant realities, especially, the realities that are associated with aging.