On a brighter note, just came of a 14 day cruise to the Panama Canal.

I was shocked as we waited to board the ship. We are Platinum members with Carnival Cruise Line and, with hubs being blind and in a wheel chair, usually first to board...We had to wait! Almost an hour!! Apparently, January 19th is the day for Platinum and Diamond VIP wheelchair and assisted passengers to cruise! The cruise of 3000 plus passengers out of Galveston, TX, was 90% over age 60!!! No kidding! A floating caregivers paradise...lol. We had a really good time, met some good folks and the entire ship enjoyed a more laid back, peaceful atmosphere. It seems that more and more, people are realizing how cruising is very doable for our elderly loved ones. Its all there for them...Caregiving is easy...get em up-get out...sit in the breeze on top of the ship, get in one of the many whirlpools onboard, eat and drink anything anytime...go see live shows or the big theater with a blanket and popcorn.

At home, hubs is homebound and uses a walker. On the ship, he is out and about in a wheelchair. I use Depends during the day so we don’t have the stress of trying to find a bathroom. We haven’t had a #2 accident yet...praise God!

My knees give me a lot of trouble, so pushing a blindman around sightseeing doesn't make much sense...it’s okay to cruise and not get off at the ports, or not pay high dollar for shore excursions you spend hours sitting on a bus...these things are there for the younger cruisers. Just being on the ship with the bustle of activity, trivia games, live music and performances, fancy dinners, spa activities and so much more, bring a sense of LIFE to a dying body.

Yes, hubs will ask me over and over to tell him the menu for the night or wonder why we stopped moving (not realizing we are waiting for an elevator) again. He will argue over taking a shower in the morning, and will ask me what ports we are going to, over and over again, and if I remembered to buy a magnet for the fridge...maybe he has a little dementia or maybe he just suffers mentally a little from being blind. I’m not sure...but I am proud that we can still plan and manage a vacation, pack our bags and travel to the port, get on the ship, have a great time for however many days, and safely return home under our own steam. I think it really adds to the quality of our lives and makes being a caregiver not so terrible. I too have days like y’all describe but I also have hope in front of me because we are booked again. We try to go every 3-6 months...I’m not confident in booking too far in advance, his health meter is like a roller coaster, complete with mini stokes, ulcers bursting in his dead eyes, sugar Level ups and downs and other weird things...and if we are a little short financially, our adult kids tend to help us out. They are so proud that we do this for each other. Hubs is 78 and I’m 62 (next week) ...may you find a way to add some enjoyment to your lives as you care for another who won’t or can’t take care of themselves.