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October 2006 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Being Well The Health Care Proxy By Toby Laping, Ph. D., C.S.W., Private Care Manager
Still, with all that, taking a break now and then is essential. Life is hectic and stepping down from the pace allows for a fresh look at what’s important. The break I had recently was wonderful and I suspect not terribly different from what many of you readers have experienced. My four grandchildren came to visit, three from the west coast and one from the east. Having them all together was a special treat. The kids range in age from 11 down to four, and they made a lot of noise and created chaos and endless laundry. And, what fun they were. I couldn’t live with that all the time. Children truly were meant for young people and my heart goes out to those increasing numbers of grandparents who are fully and solely responsible for little ones. But for a week, it was wonderful and at the end of the visit I kissed them all and sent them on their way. My 11-year-old grandson went jogging with me. We both ended up breathless, but the company was grand. We also loved playing board games and spent a wonderful evening doing just that. This grandson is fun, funny and sharp. My eight-year-old granddaughter and I have our secrets. She does things with me that would make her parents frown, but she knows her secret is safe, and she knows that I love sharing that special bond with her. She appreciates that confidence every bit as much as I do. This kid is very much like me. My six-year-old granddaughter loves fluffy and frilly. She dresses up and feels wonderful about herself. She’s a girl in the frilliest sense of the word. But she also knows that girls need to be firm and look out for themselves, and she does that very well. Watching her is a lesson in how to control life, and that’s a great lesson to learn. My four-year-old grandson couldn’t get enough of his cousins. He mimicked them, ran after them, loved them, and laughed the whole time. What a nice sound that made in our usually quiet house. But now they’re gone. They took their parents and headed for the airport. The sheets are washed, the towels are folded and the house is quiet. It’s time again to pay attention to the issues of health care that are frustrating, confusing, or even — occasionally — excellent. www.wnycaremanager.com back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
