Archive for July, 2008
Hard memories and moving ahead
I talked to Amy Mitchell today. Her 3-year-old son, Paxten, died of leukemia five days after Mike died. We talked about the flashbacks and the short-term memory loss. “How are you dealing with that?” “Dealing with what?” We’re moving through parallel grief. Good days and bad, anger and acceptance, laughter and tears. Paxten is riding [...]
Flashbacks
I was browsing through the blog of another mom who lost a child to cancer just five days after Mike died. One of the things she said was that she keeps going back to the moment he died. It comes at seemingly random moments, when all seems to be going well, and suddenly I’m back [...]
I made it.
So I made it on to the site, I really miss Mikey, Im the little cousin that could. I would frequently call mikey when everything was down and out on my end and mikey always gave it to me straight. I am just like him in his sense of humor and “Boyd” way, you dont [...]
Weekend without Mike
Danny and Jennifer came up this weekend with Meghan and Trey (the two older girls were busy), and we went to Asheville’s annual street festival, Bele Chere. I was fine most of the time, but a few times during the weekend, I really, really missed Mike. Danny would say something, and I could almost hear [...]
The plan is taking shape
More friends and family have said they want to come to the rally in Savanah. My niece Christina wants to come. I might have to pass her a few bucks to get her there, but she and Mike adored each other. She got him tickets to a Slayer concert. I still have the hat, worn [...]
No need to worry…
One of my concerns is that the health care not be as good as it can possibly be. –George W. Bush inTipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007, commenting on benefits provided to the military. That was just under a year before Mike died. And he doesn’t have to worry because health care is [...]
Get your plaid on
Things are starting to come together for our rally in Savanah on Aug. 24. I mailed off the permit application today for a gathering on the mall in Daffin Park. I was still pretty angry when I came up with the idea of a rally, and I guess I still am angry that Mike died [...]
The point
We visited with old friends this last week. Rob and Craig have been friends since fifth grade, and Craig’s entire family has become like our own. I call them the Jersey Gang. We’ve all vacationed together, the men played softball (pretty badly) for years. We have welcomed babies and watched them grow up and grieved [...]
Talking about Mike
I think it’s easier when I’m around people who’ve been with me since Mike died. Everyone wants to know how I’m coping and what happened at the end and on and on. I’m coping, but it’s harder here. Maybe it’s because I visited my sister’s grave and then my father’s grave yesterday. Mike doesn’t have [...]
Timing
It seems as though we’re timing things as before Mike got sick, after Mike got sick, before Mike died and since Mike died. All our lives seem to be broken down into that right now. Peyton and I were talking about her friendship with a boy tonight and it was broken down into those terms [...]
Second annual Eat at Mike’s
Reserve now
Life o' Mike sponsors its second annual Eat at Mike's, an evening of good food prepared by local chefs, at Tingles Cafe in downtown Asheville. The event also features silent and live auctions with items from Highlands Brewing, artist Angela C. Alexander and more.
Tickets to the dinner are $25; $20 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3.
To reserve, e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com. For more information, call 828-243-6712.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a new peer support program for people newly diagnosed with chronic or serious illness or with a new disability and their caregivers.
Patient Pals are people who have experience with various illnesses and disabilities, who can help someone newly diagnosed or with a new disability work through the fear, frustration, confusion and grief often experienced in the first few months.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
People with new illness or disability fare better when they have a role model -- someone who can help them negotiate their new path in life.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.