A Caregiver's Winding Road

Jeannie Thomas never intended to be a caregiver. She enjoyed a contented – if not common life – that was self-centered, enjoyable, and predictable. Little could she know that visiting a sick neighbor would forever alter the safe landscape of her once-established life. A Caregiver’s Winding Road is a uniquely crafted account: chilling at times, informative at times, and funny at times, but always brutally honest about Thomas’ experiences behind closed doors. Facing people with cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, blindness and madness, she walks head-on into her fears about aging and dying. On a parallel path, as her Winding Road weaves through the lives of society’s most vulnerable and needy, the author negotiates the crowded voices that holler in her own confused mind. Each voice vies for control as she faces life-altering choices that will result in debilitating burnout or fearless self-care. With rare insight, Jeannie provides ways to be compassionate, effective and generous in caring for others while also caring for oneself. Told with humor, passion and uncanny insight, her stories disclose the struggle to uncover a mind that is willing to learn and a heart willing to give. Whether you are a volunteer, family member or professional caregiver, at some time during life, almost everyone fills the role of caregiver. Whatever your current situation, this book will inspire you and transform your relationships with all those you love.