Untangling Caregiver Stress by Keeping a Journal with Vicki Tapia
When both of her parents were diagnosed with dementia, Vicki Tapia, a lactation consultant who had coached around 10,000 mother-baby pairs, found her energies redirected to the other end of life. A lifelong writer, she soon began journaling as an outlet for the stress and strain she encountered as their long-distance caregiver. Over time, this journal became a book-length work, a memoir detailing her family’s rocky road through this devastating disease.
She was inspired to seek publication after many friends told her that reading her words helped them on their own dementia journeys. Her story was then published by Praeclarus Press as Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia. It became a finalist in the 2015 High Plains Book Awards and was named “One of the best Alzheimer’s books of all time” by Book Authority.
Vicki is a co-founder and manager of AlzAuthors, happily serving as treasurer, acquisitions editor, and whatever else is needed. She’s a lifelong traveler and has been all over the globe and the United States. When she’s not busy writing, you’re apt to find her out walking her dog or off on an adventure with her husband on their tandem bicycle.
In this episode, we discuss the dilemma of being a long-distance caregiver to two parents with dementia at the same time, the trauma of moving her parents not once but twice, and how journaling helped her keep her sanity.
Read Vicki’s AlzAuthors blog post: https://alzauthors.com/2018/05/15/meet-vicki-tapia-alzauthors-admin-and-author-of-somebody-stole-my-iron/
Purchase Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia: https://amzn.to/38dsl0o
Purchase Maggie https://amzn.to/3hO80BW
Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales.
Connect with Vicki
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SomebodyStoleMyIron/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicleetap
Website: https://vickitapia.com/
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