Tag Archives: dementia

LEMON TREE

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Judy

My story about the overgrown lemon tree in my backyard does not carry a song. It does, however, accompany a painting that I finished last week. Continue reading →

Posted in Biographical, Healing and Hope | Tagged "sandwich generation", adjusting to loss of parents, adjusting to parents' decline, Aging Parents, Caregiving, creativity, dementia, father's love, fruit painting, grief, healing from grief, heartfelt, hoarder, hoarding, hope, hope of healing, Illustration, inspiration, Judy Unger, lemon, lemon tree, loss of parents, love for father, memories, optimism, Ordinary Life, painting, photo-realism, staying positive, touching, tribute to parents, watercolor painting, writing | 20 Comments

The feelings brought up by this were familiar ones. I was never religious the way my mother wanted me to be and I felt badly that I disappointed her. The fact that she was gone didn’t change that.
Miriam held my hands and looked into my teary eyes and told me, “Judy, you were there for your mom while she was alive. Everyone at the nursing home was amazed by your love and devotion. Did you know they still remember you and always ask me how you are doing?” Continue reading →

Tagged acknowledging grief, acoustic guitar, adjusting from grief, beautiful music, Caregiving, comforting music, composing, creativity, dealing with dementia, death, dementia, dementia in mother, expressing feelings, grief, grief and healing, Grief descriptions, grief over losing a parent, GRIEF RELATED, guitar, healing and grief, healing from grief, healing music, hope, hope for healing, hope of healing, I just pretend, I've lost you somewhere, Insight Timer, inspiration, Judy Unger, losing a mother, loss, love, love and memories, lovesong, lyric composiiton, lyric composing, lyric development, lyric writing, lyrics, meditation songs, Memory of Love, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Music, music and healing, musical comfort, musician, optimism after loss, original songs, overcoming grief, performing, Set you free, singing, songwriting | 2 Comments

DON’T KNOW HOW I LIVED WITHOUT YOU – PART 2

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Judy

I smiled remembering how I had argued with my father about hiring a companion for my mother. He was absolutely against it. Despite that, I found my strength to move forward to hire someone and that was when I found Miriam. Continue reading →

Tagged acoustic guitar, Aging Parents, Caregiving, companion, composing, coughing, creativity, dementia, Friendship, guitar, guitar instrumental, inspiration, memories, Miriam, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Music, original songs, pine forest, pine trees, singing, touching | 7 Comments

MEMORY OF LOVE – PART 2

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Judy

It took a lot of bravery to experience watching my mother decline. I have so many lovely memories. They are the ones that help me overcome my grief and sadness. Continue reading →

Posted in Healing and Hope | Tagged acknowledging grief, acoustic guitar, adjusting from grief, beautiful music, Caregiving, comforting music, composing, creativity, dealing with dementia, death, dementia, dementia in mother, expressing feelings, grief, grief and healing, Grief descriptions, grief over losing a parent, GRIEF RELATED, guitar, healing and grief, healing from grief, healing music, hope, hope for healing, hope of healing, I just pretend, I once felt that way, I've lost you somewhere, inspiration, Judy Unger, losing a mother, loss, love, love and memories, lovesong, lyric composiiton, lyric composing, lyric development, lyric writing, lyrics, Memory of Love, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Music, music and healing, musical comfort, musician, optimism, optimism after loss, original songs, overcoming grief, performing, singing, songwriting, staying positive, writing, you carried me | 6 Comments

I CAN’T TELL YOU

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Judy

At my last hypnotherapy session, I opened up to talk about the guilt I’ve carried for many years over disappointing my mother because I wasn’t an observant Jew like she was. Continue reading →

Tagged "sandwich generation", acoustic guitar, adjusting to divorce, aging mother, changing your life, child's death, childhood memories, composing, Confusion about religion, coping with divorce, creativity, death of a child, dementia, dementia in mother, gray divorce, grief bereavement "Loss of a Child", grief over losing a parent, guilt, guilt and religion, guitar, healing music, Hypnotherapy, inspiration, Judy Unger, losing a mother, loss, lovesong, lyric composiiton, lyric composing, lyric development, lyric writing, lyrics, memories, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Music, musician, new floor, not being observant, optimism, original songs, performing, powerful mother, religion, religious guilt, singing, songwriting, spiritual confusion, writing | 4 Comments

YOU COMFORT ME

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Judy

My mother might have died, but for a short while she came back to life again in my memories and heart. I have a lot of pictures to share here, old ones and new ones. I love how pictures can tell a story just like words can. Continue reading →

Tagged acceptance of loss, Aging Parents, burden of caregiving, Caregiving, caregiving responsibilities, childhood friendship, coping with grief, death of a close friend, death of a friend, dementia, friend's support, Friendship, friendship and loss, grief, GRIEF RELATED, inspiration, loss, loss of a good friend, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Ordinary Life, siblings and caregiving, Susan Rasky | Leave a comment

SUSAN’S MEMORIAL – PART 2

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Judy

As I prepared myself to sing at the memorial, I hoped Susan could hear me. Continue reading →

Tagged acceptance of loss, Aging Parents, Beginning a blog, blogger, blogging, breast cancer, burden of caregiving, Caregiving, caregiving responsibilities, childhood friendship, coping with grief, death, death of a close friend, death of a friend, dementia, friend's support, Friendship, friendship and loss, grief, GRIEF RELATED, I'm Taking Off, inspiration, loss, loss of a good friend, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, siblings and caregiving, Susan Rasky, Susan Rasky's memorial at UC Berkeley, therapeutic writing, writing | 1 Comment

SUSAN’S MEMORIAL – PART 1

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Judy

I realize how blessed I was to know such an incredible woman. But sadly, I wish I had appreciated her more while she was still alive. I might be smiling on the outside, but inside I was crying. Continue reading →

Tagged acceptance of loss, Aging Parents, blogger, blogging, breast cancer, burden of caregiving, Caregiving, caregiving responsibilities, childhood friendship, coping with grief, death, death of a close friend, death of a friend, dementia, dog's grief over loss, friend's support, Friendship, friendship and loss, grief, grief of a dog, grief of a pet, GRIEF RELATED, I'm Taking Off, inspiration, loss, loss of a good friend, siblings and caregiving, Susan Rasky, Susan Rasky's memorial at UC Berkeley, therapeutic writing, writing | 3 Comments

REMEMBERING SUSAN – PART 4

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Judy

When my good friend Susan died in late December, I was shocked. After her death, I went back to read all the messages she wrote me over the last five years. Continue reading →