Donna Iona Drozda

As a hospice volunteer my first client was 90 year old 'Nanny'. She lived in the shadow of tall luxury condominiums encroaching onto the beach of the Chesapeake Bay. Her tiny hovel, a cement block structure, where she lived alone for decades may have once been a bayside bait shop. The robin's egg blue paint peeling, every window nailed shut she lay inside the small hot and claustrophobic rooms with a space heater blowing on her frail ancient frame.

All of the prayer poems arrived as my lessons, what I call my 'compassion in action' curriculum as I sat with her. Week after week I witnessed and helped provide assistance while her life wound down. Nanny's end of life taught me, what Rosalynn Carter, recently testifying before congress teaches us all:

There are only four kinds of people in the world -

1. Those who have been caregivers

2. Those who currently are caregivers

3. Those who will be caregivers,

4. And those who will need caregivers. -

In this intimate volume I write as a care giver, for those who are currently care givers and for all of us who will one day require care givers.

Testimonials:

I have been reading your Twenty Two Prayer Poems for Care Givers and it has really helped. I am a caregiver for my husband who has a brain tumor. There are times when I feel so overwhelmed and the prayer poems help me to center again. Can we have permission to print, “Let Go” in our newsletter?

C.M. Cleveland, OH

I was immediately impressed by the book …When reading, every now and then I found I had to stop, gather myself and start over at the top …I am in awe. Your book is profound: deeply moving, stirring, inspiring, thought provoking and just beautiful. Also comforting and joyful.

T.R. Kansas City, MO

Fare Thee Well.