The Caregiver Cup Podcast

Send Cathy a text:) I never thought I would experience it again.  In the past couple weeks, I've been riding the emotional roller coaster of caregiving again.    It’s funny how fast you forget about those firsts.   The first inkling something isn’t right with your loved one. The initial shock and numbness when you hear the bad news. Then comes all those emotions of sadness, crying, grief, ang...

Send Cathy a text:) Are you burning out?   Are you exhausted, fatigued, or just plain tired? What’s your stress level?  What about your anxiety level? Are you sad or depressed? How do you feel about your health?  Are you taking care of yourself?  Are you losing weight?  Or are you gaining weight?   These are just a few symptoms of caregiver stress and caregiver burnout?   I want to talk today abou...

Send Cathy a text:) This week I started my Spring gardening prep.   I can’t clean out the leaves and debris yet until it gets warmer since the bees, butterflies and other little insects are trying to stay warm yet.  But it’s time to prune the bushes and trees.   My husband just rolls his eyes and goes along with my gardening passion.   If it was up to him, we would just leave it.  But I want the p...

Send Cathy a text:) The Nostalgic Caregiver looks at their Loved One remembering those special past experiences and memories.  You desire to return to an earlier time in life by wishing things were back the way they were.    While few caregivers voice their sentiments for fear of how others will receive it.  I believe that most caregivers do have this fleeting thought at some point during their jo...

Send Cathy a text:) Go-Getters are active, flexible people who put a great deal of passion and energy into juggling it all and being an effective caregiver.   Your ability to adapt and willingly jump in with a positive attitude and enthusiasm provides comfort to your Loved One.    You pride yourself in staying motivated and ambitious with your high levels of organization and multitasking.  Your mo...

Send Cathy a text:) Let me get real honest & raw with you.  This podcast was hard to prepare for and it’s even harder to share.  It's all about people pleasing.  Why you say?  I'm a people pleaser. Are you saying, Yes.  Or are you saying No, I'm not a people pleaser. We all have people pleasing tendencies People pleasing isn’t all bad  But, people pleasing can lead to stress and...

Send Cathy a text:) Today's episode is all about you and your overwhelm.  The true facts about how this stress, anxiety, burnout and fatigue creep up on you and before you know it, you are in the thick of it and don’t know what to do.   When I first became a caregiver, I let the adrenaline drive me through the overwhelm.  When that faded, I let my mind and body do the work.  Well looking back...

Send Cathy a text:) Sharing caregiving hacks which will help with managing your time, finding efficiencies and simplifying your life  One of the hidden secrets of caregiving is thinking smarter not harder.  Gosh knows you work hard. Time is one of the most valuable things you have going for you right now.  What could you do with an extra hour a week, three hours a week or maybe even an hour a day?...

Send Cathy a text:) There are two ways you become a caregiver:   1.  Caregiving often creeps up on you.   It may start with dropping by your mom’s house and doing her laundry or taking your dad to a doctor’s appointment.  You find yourself doing the grocery shopping or refilling prescriptions.  Gradually, you are doing more and more.  At some point, you realize you have a commitment to take care o...

Send Cathy a text:) You are in for a big treat with today's guest.  I chatted with  a life coach and business friend who is passionate about self-care, self-love and the pursuit of growth.   Today's guest, Amy Linsmeyer, is dedicated to helping women move forward in their personal and entrepreneur journey by encouraging dreams, their authentic self and developing a foundation that suppor...

Send Cathy a text:) Today we’re talking about being prepared and proactive in this challenging &crazy life you’re living right now.  I want to share my tips based on what has worked for me & what has crashed and burned.  You 're juggling work hours, your everyday schedule  plus caring for your Loved One.  Then add the normal every day responsibilities like house chores, meals & er...

Send Cathy a text:) Amanda Millemon is a special needs mom, Physician Assistant,  & entrepreneur living in Omaha with her husband, 2 daughters, 2 step-daughters & a black lab,  Lynnie.  Her goal is to inspire other special needs moms to make themselves a priority & remind them of the importance of self-love.   I looked really deep into my eyes & said to myself in the mirror -  you...

Send Cathy a text:) Feeling Stretched.  Feeling like you have no time for anything.  Feeling frazzled and can’t even look beyond now.   This is your new normal.  This is your new reality.   How does that make you feel  when I say that?   Let me say it again.  This is your new normal.  This is your new reality.   When I was in the thick of my caregiving overwhelm, I felt unprepared, stretched, fraz...

Send Cathy a text:) I am super, duper excited for 2021!!!   Did you notice that this podcast name has changed!!!! It’s called The Caregiver Cup Helping working woman caregivers fill their cup!!!!  Why?  I want to broaden my scope.    I want to touch you the caregiver wife, daughter, aunt, sister, niece, fiance, friend.     You may be even caring for more than one person.   I want to focus on filli...

Send Cathy a text:) Have you said one of these statements?   “I feel so alone and isolated.” “I miss my friends.” “I miss my spouse.” “I would give anything to step back in time and enjoy the past.” “I feel so disconnected from everyone and everything.” “ I am lonely and sad.” For caregivers, feelings isolated and lonely is a common complaint I hear and what I experienced quite often myself and a...

Send Cathy a text:) Today I want to talk about Wilma.  Who is she?   She is that talk in your head that keeps you up at night.  She talks and raises your stress level.   She keeps distracting you.  She drives you crazy sometimes.   I know you and I have Wilma in our head on occasion.   She is the worrier.  This past week, I let Wilma the Worrier take control of me.   My husband, Denis wasn’t feeli...

Send Cathy a text:) FACT:  You have 168 hours a week.  24 hours a day.  No more.   How many hours do you work your job or business? How many hours do you spend working around your home? How many hours running errands? Now at the time of the podcast - it’s holiday season. How many hours are you shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating or doing other activities of the season? How many hours do you spe...

Send Cathy a text:) Have you laid in bed and wished that the world would just go away?    Yes it’s normal to feel like that on occasion.  But reality is, we have to get up and live our life.      What does your day look like? A day of doctor appointments A day of chemotherapy or physical therapy Is your spouse having surgery today Is it staying home and taking care of your spouse Are you working?...

Send Cathy a text:) Friend, you’re in for a real treat today with my guest, Esther Mbabzi.  She’s an oncology nurse with tons of passion, stories and amazing advice for you.    I love how Esther shares experiences about her patients and their Caregivers when they are in the toughest parts of their life and the reality of the situation.. Esther lives in Norway and in addition to working in oncology...

Send Cathy a text:) I have been really troubled lately when I hear caregivers say:  “This is the way it is now”,  “I wish I could enjoy time out”,   “I can’t ask them, they have their own life” or  “I have to carry this alone”. This may sound harsh and bold & I don’t mean it to be this way.   But when you look at the glass half empty, you'll continue to stay that way.   Complaining, mopin...

Send Cathy a text:) Hey There, It’s Cathy with a fun bonus episode of THE CAREGIVER WIFE PODCAST.   It’s my birthday.   What better way to celebrate my birthday than with you, my listener.   My birthday parties of the past….. I remember those pizza parties and slumber parties.   Everyone would come with their fun sleeping bags, pjs and little suitcase.  We would stay up all night sharing stories,...

Send Cathy a text:) As I was prepping for this podcast,  I went back to a dark day in 2018.   I didn’t want to get out of bed, I called in sick from my 9-5 job and actually lied about being sick.   I just wanted to get in the car and drive away.  How far could I go before anyone noticed? I seriously wanted to run away from my life.   That day I did go for a drive.  I spent that day really figuring...

Send Cathy a text:) One of my favorite additions to The Caregiver Wife Podcast is the interviews with caregiver wives.  Each woman has a unique with a  different story.  Each diverse story that’s shared is a way for listeners to gain insights, motivation, inspiration, strength and ways to lead as a caregiver.  If you want to share your story, go to www.cathylvan.com/podcast/sharemystory     I woul...

Send Cathy a text:) Just 4 weeks after starting my caregiving journey, I stood at the starting line to run my half marathon.   I struggled, cried, and just about quit until I got to mile 10.   Listen to this episode to see how to use gratitude to get through your challenges.     At the 10th mile I experienced frustration, anger, sadness and resignation.   I had to figure out how to pull myself to...

Send Cathy a text:) Meet my best friend, high school sweetheart and spouse of 39 years.  Denis Vandenheuvel is the most optimistic and positive person I know.   In today’s episode, Denis will share his health journey and talk through his struggles and ways he shifted his mindset.   I hope you can glean information from the eyes of my spouse going through his health struggles in the last three year...