No Saints around Here: A Caregiver’s Days

Acknowledgments

211 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I cannot imagine what my last years with James would have been like without help from so many who cared not only for James but for me, with knowledge, attention, friendship, and affection. We were blessed with two extraordinary doctors, Dr. Tom Davis and Dr. Martha Nance, and a hospice nurse, Annie Watson, who instantly felt like family. Mywonderful aides, some of whom came for a short time and others who saw us through to the end, included Marie Ekstrom, who was there from the very beginning, steadfast and loving, and Eileen Daly, Mary Anne Dols, Sandy Finn, Tiffany Jennings, Kelly Kallstrom, Lori Needels, Anne O’Keefe, Alexandra Roehrdanz, Julie Selmo, and Darlene Zachow. I owe special thanks to James’s son, Frank Stageberg, who gave up many weekend nights so I could sleep and kept me from being stranded more times than I can remember. James’s six children , Frank, Beth, Lucy, Jane, Sally, and Anne, and his stepdaughter , Jenny Toth, made sure James knew he was loved. With inventiveness, craftsmanship, and an artist’s eye, Blair Meyers stopped the leaks, righted the helm, and kept our home afloat. I formed a special bond with women who had once walked this path themselves:Vickie Abrahamson, Barbara Farley, Barbara acknowledgments 212 Schoening, Anne Simpson, and Felicity Thoet. They continue to cheer me on. Thank you, Susan King, for listening and especially for assuring me I would one day write again. As always, Julia Friedman Gaff was right there on the end of the long-distance phone line when I needed her. Grateful thanks to the other distant friends who added critical support with their phone calls and e-mail messages. Helen Gilbert, a gifted therapist, was a lifeline through all the years of James’s illness. Friends who brought me soup, casseroles, roast chicken, and more: you know who you are, and thank you. I will never laugh again at a joke about Minnesota casseroles. This page intentionally left blank ...