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The Caregiver Cup Podcast
Empowering caregivers with knowledge, resources and tools so they can be the best they can be. This podcast focuses on ways for the caregiver to reduce stress, burnout, can embrace moments of joy in their new normal. Listen weekly to Cathy's personal experiences, coaching, tips, inspiration, and interviews.
The Caregiver Cup Podcast
Living at a Hospital House: Real Life, Real Routines, and Unexpected Lessons
Stepping into a hospital house is entering a world most caregivers never know exists until they're suddenly immersed in it. After 45+ days living at Kathy's House while my husband undergoes stem cell transplant treatment, I've discovered the raw, complex reality of caregiving away from home—and the unexpected community that forms in these spaces of collective vulnerability.
Between the shared kitchens where caregivers exchange whispered stories over coffee, the laundry rooms where tears and laughter flow equally, and the quiet corners where we all seek momentary solitude, these medical housing communities become more than just places to sleep near the hospital. They become lifelines of support when everything familiar has been stripped away.
The daily rhythm at Kathy's House constantly shifts between early morning hospital visits, meal preparation in communal spaces, finding moments for essential self-care, and navigating the practical logistics of living in an unfamiliar city. From discovering the safest grocery stores to handling car maintenance between appointments, caregiving doesn't pause for real-world responsibilities. Through it all, fellow caregivers become unexpected sources of strength—offering to wash your dishes when you're exhausted or simply sharing knowing glances across the dining room during community meals.
What I've learned most profoundly is how caregiving transforms across different settings. Hospital caregiving focuses on advocacy and emotional support, while hospital house caregiving blends direct care with creating normalcy in an abnormal situation. The weight of homesickness—missing my garden, my pets, my own bed—is balanced by the deep connections formed with others walking similar paths. Through bringing small comforts from home, establishing new routines, and embracing micro-connections with fellow caregivers, I've discovered you can create a sense of belonging even in the midst of medical uncertainty.
If you've experienced hospital house living or extended caregiving away from home, I'd love to hear your story. What small comforts did you bring to create a sense of home? How did you maintain your own well-being while supporting someone else's healing? Send me a text—because sharing these hidden caregiving journeys reminds us all that even in our most isolating moments, we're never truly alone.
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Get my free resource: 17 Shifts To Reduce CAREGIVER STRESS & Say Good-bye To CAREGIVER BURNOUT
Well, hello, my friend, and welcome to another episode of the Caregiver Cup podcast. It's Kathy here. Well, since I'm sitting in the hospital house yet, with Dennis going on well over 45 days, I thought I would do an episode that really talks about the hospital house and my experiences like the day in the life and all of the things that come to mind. So let me start out with this I never imagined I'd be living in a hospital house for weeks while my husband went through a stem cell transplant Not just one week or one time, but two times. But here I am, surrounded by laundry rooms, community kitchens, hallway conversations and quiet moments filled with both hope and exhaustion, let alone living with your spouse in a small, almost like a small studio apartment for all of that time. It's a world that most caregivers don't know exists until they're suddenly in it.
Speaker 1:If you're not familiar with what a hospital house is, let me explain. A hospital house like the one I'm staying at, it's called Kathy's House. I know it's confusing to people because my name's Kathy, but this one is Kathy with a K. It's called Kathy's House in Milwaukee, wisconsin. It was named after Kathy and if you go out and research it, she had lymphoma and passed away and she needed a place to stay and she wanted this to be a supportive house. They define their Kathy's House as is a supportive home away from home for patients and family who need to travel for medical care. It's not a hospital and it's not a hospital wing. It's something much more human. At Kathy's House, caregivers and loved ones can cook their meals, do their laundry, sleep, just footsteps away from major hospitals like Frater Hospital in Milwaukee. It's a non-profit space built around connection, healing and mutual support, and while no one wants or needs a place like this, once you're here you realize what a gift it is. So in today's episode, my friend, I'm sharing what it's really like to live in this hospital house the raw and real parts of caregiving away from home. I'll walk you through my routines what's changed in my caregiving role, how I've handled things like groceries and car care, and the small things that have made a big difference. Plus, I'll leave you with practical tips to help you make the most of your own stay if you ever find yourself in a hospital house. So, if you listen, I would just like for you to just kind of put this in your back pocket and if somebody you know ever needs this episode or maybe you're put in this situation. You can pull this episode back out. So let me take a moment to paint a picture of this Kathy's house that I'm staying at, this hospital house where I'm currently staying.
Speaker 1:It's become our temporary home while Dennis goes through his stem cell transplant and, honestly, it's more than just a place to sleep. It's thoughtfully designed to support both patients and caregivers in some of the hardest moments of life. Each family has their own private room, and my kids came to visit this past weekend because it was Father's Day and they said it's like a studio apartment almost, and it's a private room, and what we have is a two room studio apartment, which means our beds are in a separate room, we have a separate seating area with a lazy boy chair and a lazy boy love seat and a TV and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower and plenty of space to unpack. There's two dressers that we have, there's open shelving and racks to hang our clothes and there's a small kitchenette in this two bedroom studio apartment and people that stay in the two bedroom studio apartments are more immune compromised and so there's a small kitchenette with a table and a sink and a microwave. There's dishes in there so you can reheat leftovers or prep a simple meal. So Kathy's house has truly thought of everything.
Speaker 1:While you're responsible for cleaning your own space, they provide all of the supplies and so, like Swiffer the hardwood floors cleaning supplies to go ahead and clean everything. So they have a janitor's closet where you just go in and get your cleaning rags. They even thought of laundry soap so that they have free laundry downstairs in the lower level and they have the laundry soap and the dryer sheets there. So they thought of everything. So there's no need. When I first came the first time, I was hauling like towelling and toilet paper with me and extra towels. You don't need any of that. They've thought of everything so that you're not juggling so much. And speaking of the laundry room, there's like this on-site laundry room and they're nice washers and dryers so you won't have to find a laundry mat, you don't have to pay out of pocket. These are totally free and they post guidelines so that you have to clean up after yourself. You have to put a little tag on the washer to say this is the room that you're in and what time you started your load, so that other people that they're waiting. Everything is accessible.
Speaker 1:The shared kitchen is one of the heartbeats of Kathy's house. Each guest is given their own pantry locker where you can put your canned goods and your bread and all that kind of stuff a refrigerator shelf so it's a full refrigerator shelf where you can go ahead and put your milk and your veggies and whatever you use there in a freezer space. And we're given these two canvas grocery bags and they have a room number on it and so we put them on a shelf so you can cook in there, you can bake in there, you can simply enjoy a cup of coffee in the kitchen with someone who understands what you're going through. I found the kitchen becomes more than a space to prep meals. It becomes a space for quiet conversation and connections and moments of normalcy, and we tend to ask each other how's your day been going? And I ask people what was good about your day or what was the tough pieces of your day.
Speaker 1:One thing I really appreciated is how the house is set up with safety in mind, with Dennis being immune, compromised, the fact that each room is independently cleaned and we have to do it ourselves, which there's no daily maid service, which means that there's nobody coming in your room and it limits the exposure. They have extra sheets so you can change your bed. They have towels every day that you can go ahead and replace, but it totally gives me peace of mind knowing that the environment is both home-like and health-conscious. The only time they've ever come into the room is to change the furnace filter and they post it on the door saying that they're going to come in at nine o'clock. Then we know that Dennis puts his mask on, they knock on the door and they come in and the filter is right by the door. So my tip here in this first part is before you arrive, ask the facility what they provide and what you should bring. Like I said at Kathy's house, they supply everything from toilet paper to towels, to pillows, to blankets, but we still brought our own pillows and our cozy blankets to make the space feel more like home. That little touch of familiarity goes a long way in a season filled with so much uncertainty. I'm going to just take a break here once and just open the door here once, so just bear with me. Okay, I'm back, sorry about that. So now the next part I want to talk about is so what it actually is like to live here day in and day out.
Speaker 1:Let me walk you through a typical day in this current season of caregiving. Most mornings start for us with a hospital appointment. Now that Dennis is out of the hospital, we have to go for labs or doctor's appointments or testing of some kind about three to four times a week. Dennis may have labs, like I said, a treatment or a check-in with one of the specialists. Lately they've been early morning appointments I'm talking about 7 am, on Friday at 6.30 am. The good news is we're right across the street so we can walk on nice days or drive over in just a few minutes. It just depends on the weather and how Dennis is feeling. But that alone takes a huge burden off of our plates, though, because we don't have to drive, especially when your loved one is fatigued or not feeling well.
Speaker 1:After we get back, I try to carve out a bit of time for myself, because Dennis is usually exhausted, and I get him settled in his chair, and then sometimes I head to the small gym in the lower level to lift weights or take a brisk walk around the block. That morning movement helps clear my head and starts the day with intention, because you go right into go mode and if I just kept going it's really hard. And the kitchen here is one of my favorites. It's so well stocked, and so they have the coffee stations, the toasters, the pots and pans everything you need to make a meal. I usually head downstairs to make my green smoothie shake. You've probably heard me talking about it. I do a spinach shake and scramble a few eggs for Dennis, maybe some toasts, and bring that to him or ask him what he wants for breakfast. Some days he'll go down and do it himself. Some days he's not feeling good or he's just not up to it. If there's a lot of people I don't want him around right now a lot of people so I try to find something nourishing for him, and it really does make that morning a little bit special.
Speaker 1:Once the morning flows into the afternoon, dennis usually rests in his recliner. I'll throw in a load of laundry or take a few minutes to clean our room, and on good days I can grab my journal then and I head over to a quiet space. They have lots of beautiful sitting areas and most of them are windows, and so you can go ahead and look outside, and so either in the common lounge or, if the weather's nice, I can even go out onto the patio. They have a patio on the upper deck where you can just sit outside, or they have one downstairs where it's a screened-in patio as well, with each family having their own shelf in the refrigerator and freezer. I plan out lunches and dinners based on what we have, and it's become a bit of a rhythm Prepping food while another caregiver chops veggies beside me or stirs a pot of pasta on the stove.
Speaker 1:There's something, like I said before, comforting about having people around you and we're all in the same boat and we're doing it. And you know we're all in the same boat and we're doing it, and usually I'm asking what are you making? Or whatever it would be, and you kind of make the meals off of what your loved one is feeling like, and as a caregiver, you kind of go along with that flow a little bit. When Dennis first got back, all he wanted was a soup or a little bit of pasta, and so you would go ahead and do that, and on good days, one day he said he wanted mashed potatoes and it's like okay, I'm going to cut up a couple of potatoes and I'm going to mash them up and bring them to you, and usually my go-to is a salad if he wants something heavy.
Speaker 1:But evenings after dinner are really quiet and peaceful. The quiet hours start at 9 pm in the Kathy's house because everybody is healing and so, versus like a hotel, you hear people roaming the halls and running the halls, and so the whole house settles into a hush and I get into my pajamas and I'm making decaf coffee and I watch a show with Dennis. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, or on rough days, I will FaceTime my sister or a friend. Thursdays, or on rough days, I will FaceTime my sister or a friend, and so I might sneak out at seven o'clock into a quiet area, or eight o'clock and do that. If it's been a particularly emotional day, I might even step down into the meditation room. This is a room down in the lower level. It's a small, serene place where I can sit in silence, breathe deeply and let go of the tension that's been holding me.
Speaker 1:The longer I stay here, though, the more I realize that even in shared space, with different people coming and going, you can still find structure and flow. You begin to adapt, and in the middle of this uncertainty routines become my lifeline, and so my tip on the second part here is build anchor points in your day. Maybe it's morning movements or a midday pause or an evening wind down, and these rhythms help regulate your nervous system and give you tiny moments of control, even when something else feels unpredictable. And so even in the midst, even when Dennis was in the hospital, I found rhythm. After a while. You just find rhythm. What can I do in the morning before I go? And simple things like packing a lunch or getting yourself journaling and stuff before. What can you do after you leave the hospital? That kind of thing, okay, I want to talk now about caregiver conversations in the hallway. If you're on my email mailing list, I gave you some Friday in my email mailing list, and if you're not, go to the show notes and get my weekly emails, because I tend to share a little bit more there.
Speaker 1:But one of the most unexpected gifts of living in a hospital house like Kathy's house is that the people you meet in the in-between moments, like folding laundry, heating up your leftovers, refilling your coffee there aren't just surface level conversations, they're deep, they're soul deep moments of connection that happen when you least expect it Because I think as caregivers we're a little bit more vulnerable, we're a little bit more I can't think of another word but spent, and so we tend to share a little bit. You know, you might ask somebody how was your day and they're going to say it's been rough, it's been challenging. And I look at that person and I'm like tell me more what's been going on and I tend to just sink into that with them. Well, I'm going to share a couple. I met Carol in the laundry room. We were folding sheets and towels and our socks and all of that kind of stuff, like it was just another day, but it wasn't.
Speaker 1:Her husband has been in the hospital for over 55 days. He came in for a scheduled transplant but he had complications, what led to a tracheotomy, and now he's bedridden. She's now facing impossible decisions and I've been talking to her for a while and she has to figure out. Does she choose a rehab facility now when he gets discharged that's close to the hospital so that she can go ahead and get the doctor's support, or does she pick one near her home where she's got more family there? Which one provides better care? She's got to decide that. Can she even afford either options. What about transportation? And how is that going to work? And how's the timing going to work? And will he recover enough to even make the transfer? And so, poor Carol, I've been going along and each day she would tell me his progress, that he was making and he was getting physical therapy, but now he's well enough to be released. And that's the scary part.
Speaker 1:And just when she thought she had enough on her plate, carol, her car battery died and she had to call for service in the middle of it all, and luckily she had AAA and they came right to Kathy's house and so all she had to do was walk out there and the service people came and replaced her battery and, boom, she was done. But you could see the weight on her face and I said to her I said you have this, the car situation, I have the air conditioning situation, and so we kind of cried and laughed at the same time. But the overwhelm, and you know what struck me the most in the middle of all the headaches, carol actually asked me and she smiled through her exhaustion and she asked me about myself, how are you doing and what's been your struggles? And I was sitting there listening to her and just content enough to just have her unload off of me, and I was able to share some of my stories with her and we shared some quiet moments, moments of strength and how we carried the load. Then another one, and then there was Ralph.
Speaker 1:He's been at Kathy's house since December and he's the patient, and each morning he's up early and I'm an early riser too and he's riding the exercise bike in the gym and I was. When Dennis was in the hospital, I was washing the clothes in the morning so I could bring him back and he's riding the exercise bike to build his strength. And then he goes up to the kitchen after that and makes his berries and yogurt. And we share the same refrigerator just a different shelf in yogurt. And we share the same refrigerator, just a different shelf and his smile is contagious. Every time I see him he says I'll be home soon, with so much hope in his voice. His wife is incredible too. She researches high protein meals, sits next to him on the outdoor swing, holds his hand through every setback. They're both fighting in their own way, with quiet courage, and it just when I look outside of our room and I can see the swings. I see them and I just my tears come to eyes because I can honestly say my heart aches for them and every person I meet here the caregivers, the patients, the family members passing in the halls Each one of them is facing something hard, but we're doing it together.
Speaker 1:There's this unspoken strength that runs through this house, this unspoken strength that runs through this house. We show up tired, scared and sometimes completely lost, but we also show up with coffee for a neighbor, or a kind smile or a shared story. In the kitchen we do. Carol was sitting there. She came in from a long day and I said what can I get you? I'm cooking right now. She goes no, no, no. And I'm like what would it take for me to throw in one more? And then there was this. Her name was Kathy as well, and we're in Kathy's house and I'm Kathy. And then there's another Kathy, when she was washing her dishes while I was cooking and she said you know? She said, when you're done with your stuff, just put your dishes in here and I'll wash your dishes for you, so I could bring the hot food to Dennis. And I'm like there's just all of these little things that just give me goosebumps.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite moments, though, is when a local organization came in to bring us dinner. We all gather when any of them do that. We all gather then in the dining room and we all stand in line waiting for them to serve us, and it could be something simple like a lasagna and salad. And it could be something simple like a lasagna and salad. One time a local organization came in with burgers and the all-American kind of picnic. Tonight we had pork, tenderloin and mashed potatoes and veggies and so on.
Speaker 1:But what's fun about this is we all come together then and we're filling our plates. We hear voices chatting, laughter is coming here and there for a little while, and for that one hour we're not just patients and caregivers, we're a community. We're a family. Caregivers. We're a community, we're a family, and I swear it gives me goosebumps every time we come together. It just is, and you look around and there has to be maybe 30, sometimes 40 people, sometimes it's smaller, but we're all coming together and sitting at tables and asking can we sit with you? Or there's boots off to the side, where we know that there's immune, compromised people. So my tip here is be open to micro connections Every even folding laundry beside someone can be a sacred moment of support. Someone can be a sacred moment of support. You never know when a simple smile or shared story will carry someone or yourself through the next hard day. So let's switch gears a minute for a moment. As caregivers, we're not just navigating hospital rooms and emotional decisions. We're navigating every day life in a city. We may not even know at all, and let me tell you, figuring out the real life logistics while caregiving is a challenge all of its own.
Speaker 1:One of the first things I needed to figure out when we got here was where to buy groceries. We can't go ahead and stock up, like you would, for an entire week or two, because we have limited space. I wanted a place that was safe and clean and had good quality produce and essentials, especially because I'm cooking most of our meals at Kathy's house. Dennis can't go ahead and eat off the deli. We got to be careful about infection of any kind, so thank goodness for Google or Siri, excuse me and it gives you maps. Asking other caregivers is also helpful, and even the staff. What I've learned quickly is that you can't buy, like I said, in bulk because you have limited space, and I know I said that already. So just enough for a few meals and snacks.
Speaker 1:Then came the other real life, like when Dennis had GI issues and needed extra clothing, I needed to stock his room at the hospital so that when he did have the explosive diarrhea, I would have extra clothes. So I had to find a close place and I found a nearby Target and I could go ahead and get him clothing and underwear and all that. Grab over-the-counter meds and pick up a few comfort items, things you normally just grab at home. Now you have to take extra time and thinking about your planning. Now don't get me wrong. I packed a lot of the over-the-counter things, but you just never know what extra things that you're going to need. And just last week my oil light came on in my car. I had that moment of seriously now, but caregiving doesn't pause for car maintenance, like Carol said, or like this Carol story was. So I found a reputable spot for an oil change, squeezed it in between our hospital appointments and, yes, I made sure to stop at Quick Trip for my gas because I have my reward points as well. So I found one in town.
Speaker 1:But logistics aren't just about errands, they're about what your well-being too. I've scoped out nearby parks for quick walks, local farmers markets for fresh produce and even a quiet little salon that gave me the most peaceful pedicure, just a few blocks away. I haven't done that in so long. These small comforts make a big difference, and here's something I didn't expect. Kathy's House offers an on-site self-care too. There's a massage therapist that comes in once a week and all you have to do is look at the sheet, call and schedule the time. I think they do it on Wednesdays, and so that's really nice. I honestly didn't think I'd even feel comfortable navigating a big city, but I'm surprised. You figure it out. So here's my tip Ask the front desk or fellow co-workers or Google Maps when you're looking for spots.
Speaker 1:You know you want to pay attention to what's safe, what's convenient, and if you can't keep a weekly errand routine, it brings back a sense of normalcy and helps you feel grounded in chaos. Even the grocery stores you know there's a grocery store nearby that's similar to home, so that helps me. But I also am very cautious about when I go. I don't go at a busy time. I go either early in the morning or an off day, because of Dennis's immune system, naturally, every time I record a tickle in my throat, naturally Okay. One thing I've learned, and kept learning also, is that you can't forget about your self-care. We talk about this a lot on this podcast. Because we're away from home doesn't mean you give it up.
Speaker 1:When you're caregiving though 24-7, and often sharing a space with your loved one, it's easy to feel like you're on all the time, but that's exactly why you have to carve out moments like I have. For me, that means being really intentional. I'll tell Dennis I'm stepping out for a while and I go find a quiet space, one of those lounge areas, and I bring my coffee, my journal, my book and some days I write, some days I just sit in silence and soak in the sunrise. It's my gentle reset. I also love sitting in the evening at the front of the building or even in the afternoon and just people watch people coming into Kathy's house, people leaving Kathy's house At night. I try to do the same. After Dennis settles in, I'll go off into one of those areas and I'll FaceTime my sister and do my check-ins and find out what's happening.
Speaker 1:Kathy's house also has mapped out walking distance and paths. The block we're on is about a mile and it has a pond in the middle, in the center, and there are ducks and geese and cranes and squirrels weaving through the hospital, traffic and sirens. I can still find peace in that pond. It's a strange peaceful balance. But I usually plug in my earbuds and I look at all of the scenery. I listen to my music or my good podcast, like Hoda's Making Space, or an audio book anything that gives my brain a soft place to land. And then there's the meditation room or the outside gazebo where you can have just quiet space to breathe and cry and reflect and let go of your emotions.
Speaker 1:As an introvert living in a hospital house or a communal house, I've come to cherish these pockets of solitude. I need to recharge. If you are an extrovert, you will love it. If you're an introvert, it's going to be overwhelming on days, and so there's not just luxury in finding the solace. There's lifelines there too, and creating space for your self-care has helped me show up better, for Dennis and for myself. So my tip here is create your own self-care nook, even in the shared space. Find a chair by a window, grab your favorite blankie, your journal, your earbuds. If you're in a community space, there's going to be some place where you can sit little lounge areas or chairs or something or find the outside grounds where you can go ahead and sit on a rocking chair or take a walk, so that you can get that time to yourself.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's talk about the shifts in your caregiving role. There is such a big difference caring for someone in a hospital and a hospital health setting. For over 45 days, when Dennis was in the hospital, my role was support and advocacy. At the hospital house it's more of one-on-one with the administration of medication, helping with daily care, cooking from a community kitchen, keeping the room clean. We have to stay close to the hospital and keep him safe from infection. It's like living in a bubble. Then home will be different too, with some of the same from the hospital house, but we'll have a have a bit more free. We'll have a bit more freedom. That's what I'm trying to say, and I'll have similar roles, except we'll be driving to appointments and on the flip side, I can get away too.
Speaker 1:So in a hospital house and close to the hospital, you get more emotional support, but you get less household management or you don't have to do as much, which I find myself coming home on weekends sometimes and catching up with some of the outside chores and stuff like that. You think about it though what's easier, what's harder, what's still heavy? Yeah, everything has pros and cons to it. You just kind of look at the positives in each situation. In the hospital, I knew that he was being taken care of, but then it was hard for me to walk away. Every day In the hospital house it's like, yay, he's there, I don't have to go through the hospital check-in process, I don't have to worry about visiting hours and he has a little bit more time to rest and relax. But then it's a little bit more work.
Speaker 1:For me Now there's going to be fear when I come home from the hospital as well, and the whole coming back to our home. You know as much as I like being there and the home of safety and everything like that. I'm glad that the steps are in place for us to go home, though I'm glad we went from hospital to hospital house before we come home. So I guess for me I know this is kind of a choppy one, but the roles are so different in the shifts that we have to make in caregiving. You know, with little planning I didn't think about it a lot. So you have to accept that caregiving looks different in every season and in every situation. Give yourself permission to do less of the tasks and more of the being in the present. Maybe that's what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's talk now about missing home. When you're away from home, let's be honest 45 days I miss being home. No matter how well you adapt, homesickness is real. Excuse me, there's something about being away from your own space, your own routines, your people that hits you in unexpected ways. You get that gulp in your throat like you just miss the comforts of home.
Speaker 1:I miss my bed, my comfy chair, my TV and the channels that I can watch and the streaming services and all that kind of stuff. The simple joy of walking through my garden, just walking outside in my pajamas and no bra. I can't do that in a community setting or you have to cover up at least, or around our neighborhood. I miss walks. I miss chatting with the neighbors, the spontaneous coffee dates with my friends and being just a short drive from family and friends. I especially miss my grandson, that sweet little boy that comes running up the driveway to visit me, and my fur babies oh my gosh, lucy and Eddie playing in the backyard or curling up beside me at night.
Speaker 1:No familiar groundings for me keep me going through this season. I'm thankful that we have FaceTime. I'm thankful I have all of the family and friends in the tribe watching our house and sending me pictures, and I'm thankful that I take short weekend getaways just for a day or two. They can help me recharge and they have. You don't realize how much those quick visits refill my tank or your tank until you're living away. Now don't get me wrong. I feel guilty sometimes for leaving, but I have to look at that as okay. I love my husband and I want to be in two places at one time, but I can't if I don't recharge and refill my cup.
Speaker 1:So one thing that's really helped me is bringing small pieces of home with me. I pack my favorite coffee cup, my pillow, my soft blanket that I love, so I put that on the bed. Dennis brought this homemade cross that his mom made and he put that on the windowsill. It's a small symbol but a powerful source of comfort for him. Even having familiar scents or a music playlist can make a cold place or an unfamiliar room feel more like yours. So you want to think about. What can you do to make it your own? You can't bring everything with you, but you can carry small pieces from you, small little picture frames, things that I bring with me of my dogs and my grandkids, so that we have some things that look familiar as well.
Speaker 1:So obviously, the tip here is bring pieces of home with you. Maybe it's your favorite mug or a blanket, a few printed photos, your go-to playlist on your phone, and don't underestimate the power of FaceTime calls or voice memos from friends. Staying connected, even in small ways, helps easy aches of homesickness. So let me, just before we wrap up, let me quickly run through the most helpful strategies and tips one more time that have that. And if you want to grab a pen or you want to just mark this section here, pack for comfort. Bring your favorite things. We just talked about that. No need to overpack. Or, most importantly, ask the place that you're going to be staying at what you need to bring. Do I need to bring cleaning supplies? Do I need to bring toiletries? Do I need to bring bedding or blankets? Ask what they supply and then you can organize from there and then create a daily rhythm.
Speaker 1:Think about how, once you get established, how can you anchor your day with morning movement, midday breaks and evening wind downs? When you create that, you're creating some scheduling for you and structure. Then explore nearby essentials early, find your grocery stores, your pharmacies, your gas stations, even a park or a coffee shop that you can go to, and then keep a caregiving log. And I didn't really talk about this a lot, but when I got here, got here to Kathy's house, I thought I could electronically put everything on a calendar. But I'm a paper calendar kind of person, so I had to find a calendar so I could track my appointments. I need a notepad to track all the medications and ask questions, and so I have a counter on the dresser where I use that. Remember, you're going to be connecting with the community there and so micro connections really matter. Even a small hallway conversation can lift your spirit.
Speaker 1:And don't forget to carve out self-care time for yourself and maybe scope out where you can do that. Because, don't get me wrong, caregiving for my husband has been a really a phenomenal privilege and gift for me, but I still need a little corner of self-care where I can get away and take care of myself and reflect and do what I need to do. Think about what you want to bring from reminders at home that could boost you emotionally and finally, ask for help. Ask the staff, other caregivers, friends back home, so that you don't feel alone. Those are just some of my tips. And so, to close here, as my throat is just going crazy, so I'm almost here, I'm going to make it here. As my throat is just going crazy, so I'm almost here, I'm going to make it.
Speaker 1:Living in a hospital house isn't easy. It stretches you but it humbles you and it reminds you just how much you carry as a caregiver. But here's what I've learned it's not just a place to pass time, it's not just a stop on the way back home. It becomes part of your story. In this in-between space, I found comfort in shared meals, connections in the hallway, conversations and deep understanding of what truly matters. Yes, I miss home deeply my garden, my bed, my dogs, my family. But I've also discovered that you can't create a sense of home, or you can create a sense of home wherever you are, even in the middle of uncertainty. So I'll leave you with this If you had to create a second home during a season of caregiving, what would you bring with you to make it feel like yours?
Speaker 1:Is it your morning coffee ritual?
Speaker 1:Is it a playlist?
Speaker 1:Is it blankets that hold memories?
Speaker 1:I'd love to hear from you or, if you've had to do this, if you've ever stayed in a hospital house, or you're preparing for one text me.
Speaker 1:Send me that text and, as a matter of fact, in the next few weeks I'm collecting all of the text. I'm just going to do a potpourri type of a session off of all of the emails and texts and messages that I've received. So today, share your tips with me about a hospital house. Or if you've ever had to stay away from home for a length of time, what did you bring that brought you comfort and the lessons that you've learned. So, without further ado, I'm going to go ahead and end this so I can get a good cough and clear my throat, but until next time, my friend, caregiving doesn't stop at the hospital door and it doesn't really stop wherever you're at. You have to go ahead and make the best of the caregiving space that you're in, but just know you're not alone. And, as a reminder, don't forget to continue to fill your cup, because you can't show up as the best that you can be without recharging. So bye for now, and we'll talk to you again next week, my friend,