What starts as a plan to take my mom to two appointments turns into a full day of waiting rooms, medical questions, a search for parking, and paperwork that still needs attention when we get home. Somewhere in the middle of it, my mom makes a connection with a stranger who knew her grandmother, who died in 1982, and the day feels a little less overwhelming.

In this episode of Life in the Sandwich Lane, I’m sharing what one day of helping my parents looked like while trying to keep up with work and the rest of life. I’m learning to take it one appointment and one question at a time. If you’re in this season too, I’d love to hear what has helped you.

Email me: hello@lifeinthesandwichlane.com

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to Life in the Sandwich Lane
• (00:01:07) - Why I'm Sharing This, Not as an Expert
• (00:02:02) - Caregiving Is Everywhere
• (00:03:58) - Mom's TIA Scare and the Follow-Up Maze
• (00:05:23) - Navigating Different Doctors and Personalities
• (00:06:52) - Mom's Fear and Need for Control
• (00:07:28) - Planning the 'Easy Day' That Wasn't
• (00:08:35) - The Frustrating Internist Appointment
• (00:11:35) - Dermatology Waiting Room Chaos
• (00:13:27) - Mom Making Friends and Family Connections
• (00:16:19) - The Skin Procedure and Parking Panic
• (00:18:18) - Marathon Appointment and Chatty Ken
• (00:19:45) - Back Home: Estate Paperwork and More Demands
• (00:20:55) - Reflecting on Balance and Support
• (00:23:29) - Closing Thoughts and What's Next

Wendi thought she was just taking her 81-year-old dad in for a “simple” VP shunt surgery… and somehow ended up shocked by a rogue outlet, investigated by hospital facilities, and slapped with an ER wristband of her own. In this chaotic episode of Life in the Sandwich Lane, she turns a hospital BOGO—Dad’s brain surgery plus her surprise EKG—into a comedy of errors that every overwhelmed, overcaffeinated sandwich-generation caregiver will recognize.

• (00:00:06) - The Day My 81 Year Old Dad Had Brain Surgery
• (00:03:48) - I Just Got Shocked On An outlet
• (00:09:46) - Caregiver's Day in the Hospital

In this first episode of Life in the Sandwich Lane, Wendi finally introduces herself…at the end. Timing is everything, right? She sets the stage for what it’s like to live in the “messy middle” of life, caught between caring for aging parents and cheering on young adult kids as they launch into the world.

Wendi shares about her 81‑year‑old dad’s NPH diagnosis, the long wait for surgery, and the emotional whiplash of doctor visits where everyone swears they’re “feeling fine” five seconds after listing twenty-seven concerns in the parking lot. She talks about wanting a simple appointment checklist so important details don’t get lost in the polite small talk.

On the other side of the sandwich, her son is getting married soon, bringing up all the feelings: pride, joy, and a tiny bit of heartbreak as he steps into his own family story. She also opens up about remarriage after a long season of singleness, a growing business, a house with “its own agenda,” and a stress level so obvious even her eye doctor noticed.

Through it all, Wendi keeps circling back to honest truth-telling and a steady kind of hope—the kind that says, “This is hard, and I’m still going to show up.” If you’re juggling parents, kids, marriage, work, appointments, bills, and invisible emotional labor, this episode is your sign you’ve found the right table in the cafeteria.

If you want to say hello, email Wendi at hello@lifeinthesandwichlane.com.

#sandwichgeneration #lifeinthesandwichlane #messymiddleofreallife

• (00:00:00) - Living in the Middle of Life
• (00:05:59) - Post-Part 1: A Sandwich Lane