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Meet fellow Caregivers - Introduce yourself
Caregivers | Last Active: Nov 12, 2023 | Replies (707)Comment receiving replies
I dont know where to start. I feel like i am sick and dont want to go to dr because then i might have to stay in an unbearable situation if i get feeling better. We moved closer to elderly parents thirteen yrs ago as i could see that mom as not doing well. She had Alzheimers and was a danger to herself and my dad. She set fire cooking several times. After along struggle with family she was put in a care home. Then it was looking after dad. For the first few months he had a tough time adjusting and frankly so did i. Midnight calls etc. We got a system set up but then he told me he didnt like my husband and never had. Now we had been married almost 50 yrs. so it meant my husband wasnt going to dads house and we didnt have family dinners either. My dad didnt want to go visit mom as he thought i was going to leave him there. I will tell you i would have liked to because he was so ornery but i didnt. In 2010 my husband was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Thankfully he survived all the traetments and has to wear a bag, but as a result he has cognitive impairment. He is 80 yrs old. In 2013 i was diagnosed with Fuchs dystrophy and late last year we moved to Alberta to be close to son. Now i cant drive intil transplant in a month and i have totally lost my independence. So i am burnt out depressed and stressed
Replies to "I dont know where to start. I feel like i am sick and dont want to..."
<br><br><br><br><br>I'm here for you too. I'm caring for my sister who lives with my husband and me. Day by day solutions sometimes grow more permanent. Thinking of you in your struggle. <br><br>
Thank you i
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Hello @charliesmom I am Scott and it is nice to e-meet you here and I am sorry to hear of your caregiving challenges and your own health concerns on top of them. It is not an easy row to hoe. I was the sole caregiver for my wife during her 14 year battle with brain cancer.
Feelings of being overwhelmed, depressed, and stressed go hand-in-hand with caregiving and I wish there was some magic potion or words that would help. The isolation of caregiving I found to be one of the biggest challenges for me. I also understand you saying you don't want to go to the doctor for yourself. I didn't go for various ailments of my own for those 14 years and now am paying a price for all the 'delayed maintenance' I have to address now. No easy answers to any of this.
You will find the Connect Caregiving group to be a new source of friends who are nonjudgmental, have big shoulders, and love to share their ideas and support for fellow caregivers. We don't always have any answers, but sometimes it is good to know you are not alone in this journey and we each, in different ways, have learned some pretty nifty and helpful 'caregiving hacks' to make some portion of our work easier or at least no harder than it is.
I send peace, strength, and courage your way and may spring come early to Alberta!