HI! I’m Ammie.
My world changed overnight when my better half was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma. In an instant, I became a caregiver.
My priorities shifted completely. His health came first, and everything else followed. While he focused on fighting for his life, I focused on holding ours together. I stepped fully into our business, Live Like Locals, determined to keep moving forward even as everything felt uncertain behind the scenes.
Somewhere along the way, I lost myself. Caregiving has a way of doing that. You become the organizer, the advocate, the planner, the steady one. All of this occurred at the expense of my own identity, health, and peace of mind.
If you’re here, you’re witnessing my rebuild.
Out of that experience, I created Caregiving Insider, teaching caregivers how to take care of themselves while caring for their loved one.
This chapter of my life is about intention and healing.
I’m becoming more mindful about the foods I eat, the products I use, and the choices I make every day. Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care about your dreams or your plans. While none of us can fully control whether we’ll face a life-altering diagnosis, we can take ownership of the factors within our reach like how we live, what we consume, and how we care for ourselves along the way.
Here, you’ll find the things I’m learning, the products I genuinely love, healthier choices I’m exploring, and yes and probably some silly and fun things too.
Rebuilding isn’t just about surviving what happened. It’s about creating a life that feels whole again.
Caregiving Insider :: Resources for the Caregiver!
THIS is What Caregiving Looks Like
I had no idea that Jose snapped this picture of us. Life didn’t stop just because Jose needed in-patient chemo for three days or had doctor’s appointments at the same time I had a zoom meeting. Life kept moving. The electric bill kept coming. We still had obligations. We learned to make the best of every day and maximize opportunities as they presented themselves.
I brought a mobile office for both of us and all the things we needed for both comfort and work. People would look at us strolling in with multiple suitcases like we were moving in. In a sense, we did. The hospital became our temporary home and office.
Caregivers spend an average of 33 hours per week caring for their loved ones.
Fun Fact: working 32 hours a week is considered a full-time job
Advocate turned TV Show Host
My work with Caregiving Insider and our Caregiver Action Plan became nationally recognized and I was asked to host a show for the Shining through CIDP campaign that later went on to air on CoziTV and Peacock.
That series won two film festival awards for best episodic series at the CineHealth Film Festival in 2024 and 2025.
Watch :: Rare, Well Done
Hosting Rare, Well Done
What an honor it was hosting this web series for the CIDP community.
