~SanGenWoman Blog~: Carmen Buck ~ Special Guest

Heart to Heart by Jan Steinle

"Connections of the heart...how we experience love, self worth, validation and so much more."

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~Introducing Special Guest Carmen Buck~

Photographer, Nurse Practioner & Creator of Love Still Lives Here

Have you thought about your legacy? How will you leave the world a better place? The older I got the more I wondered about the legacy I would leave the world. I was a holistic nurse practitioner in a busy neurology clinic caring for people with dementia and their families. I didn't have a lot to offer by way of medications, but I had attention, kindness, and my presence. My patients and their families comfortably shared their stories, their worries and the darkest moments of their lives. I listened with awe and learned from them, because dementia has also entered my family. Their situations were often unimaginable yet the love and devotion were palpable. I often thought that in this time more than ever, their inspirational stories needed to be shared with the world. After years of being in reverence of my patients, I realized these so rarely heard stories of love and devotion in the face of fear would be shared with the world, and I would help to make that happen. I left my clinical work to tell those stories and build a photography business.

Creating images that tell stories, have meaning and to become a part of a family's legacy is my passion. I am a nurse practitioner and photographer specializing in bringing beautiful art and memories to families. At first glance, it may seem like nursing and photography have little in common, but in truth, healing happens at the bedside, in the clinic and even from behind the camera. Love Still Lives Here is my upcoming book (Spring, 2017) and is a book of powerful love-based stories and photographs demonstrating the devotion of families and loved ones impacted by dementia. Their stories tell us the importance of connections with others, giving and receiving love, hope, trust, faith, exclusion and how to come out on the other side of grief.

Kickstarter Campaign

I launched a Kickstarter Campaign for Love Still Lives Here a few weeks ago.

Kickstarter is specifically for CREATIVE PROJECTS. It helps artists and authors like myself find the resources and support they need to make their ideas a reality. Love Still Lives Here is a creative project.

Tens of thousands of creative projects - big and small - have come to life with the support of the Kickstarter community. I want to be one of those!

People who specifically want to pledge to creative projects venture to Kickstarter and share their favorites with their friends. This continues to raise awareness of dementia and family Caregiving and this is good for all of us.

It’s all or nothing- if 100% of my goals is not attained by December 16, 2016 at 1:56PM, the project will not be funded. No pledges will be collected unless I reach my goal.

Click Love Still Lives Here to go to my page. You can continue to help us raise awareness and share it to your own social media pages.

I am grateful to Carole Brecht for all she does for Caregivers, making the world a better place. I’m sure if we lived near one another, we would be meeting over coffee in person to encourage each other along our respective journeys. The 12 families who contributed their stories to my book continue to delight me with their updates and their tears of joy as they clutch the photos I’ve gifted them. They give me the fuel to continue my work with legacy photography. I spent years with families and patients who faced the most difficult times they could imagine. I offered suggestions, made referrals, spent countless hours on the phone and in person, but I received so much more than I gave because there is nothing so honorable than to allow someone into your heart and home. I have so much to be grateful for.

I live just outside of Austin, Texas but have been known to travel with my camera in hand. Here are some of the ways to find me:

Carmen with Carmen Buck Photography

Legacy Photography

Round Rock, TX 78665

512-920-2825

www.CarmenBuckPhotography.com

www.CarmenBuck.com

Social Media Links:

Facebook-Business

Facebook Page for Love Still Lives Here

Instagram

Twitter

Carmen with Carmen Buck Photography~Legacy Photography

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Check out my Paperback/Kindle on Amazon - The Artistry of Caregiving: Letters To Inspire Your Caregiver Journey -bit.ly/ArtistryofCareCBrecht - May my book bless you as you navigate the emotional journey of caring for your loved one. I hope you're inspired, find peace, connection and community. 33 Letters written from my heart to yours. Designed to read on the go, in no particular order. Your daily companion letting you know you're understood and not alone. Too tired to read or focus? Get supported and affirmed by 35 Caregiver Zentangle designs throughout the book. You inspire me. You are my hero. <3

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A recent review on Amazon about my book:

"This beautiful book combines art and poetic text as a collection of letters, mixed with a biographical narrative. It is a breath of fresh air to start the day of any Caregiver. I think it would be fair to call these letters “love” letters because each is filled with honest admiration for Caregivers. Plus the letters are quite brief, so you can read just one each day, easily and quickly, and feel empowered! In them, she creatively addresses the Caregiver differently each time, calling the Caregiver “Protector” “Pillar”, “Air-traffic Controller” and “Peacekeeper” to name a few, thus bringing attention to the vast and multifaceted role Caregivers are called upon to play.

Although original in format, this book is a very honest take on the Caregiving experience and doesn’t hold back on the sometimes cruel realities of the situations you could encounter. But it is also tenderly personal, with writer Carole openly expressing her feelings and occurrences directly to the reader. There is a slight focus on caring for an Elderly parent because Carole references her experience of caring for her mom quite regularly. Yet much of it is relevant for any Caregiver! It almost felt like a conversation just for me! I was able to genuinely connect to Carole and her uplifting and supportive words.

I think what I loved most about this book is how much it makes Caregivers feel so incredibly valued, building a solid sense of pride as you read through and are acknowledged again and again. As Caregivers are still not given as much recognition in our society as they deserve, this book is a welcomed companion – a cheerleader really that all those managing the constant and complex demands of this unsung role will benefit from.

Thank-you Carole!" -K.H.

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FREE Kindle app on my book page~
-To get the most accurate preview of the Look Inside feature on my book page - view on a computer.