1. < Caregivers
Moderator

Meet fellow Caregivers - Introduce yourself

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Aug 27, 2016

Welcome to the Caregivers group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
Caring for someone can be rewarding, but it is also very demanding and can be isolating. Let's use this space to connect with other caregivers, share experiences, talk frankly about the tough stuff without judgement and to provide a virtual shoulder to lean on.

I'm Colleen, and I'm the moderator of this group, and Community Director of Connect. I look forwarding to welcoming you and introducing you to other members. Feel free to browse the topics or start a new one.

Grab a cup of tea, or beverage of you choice, and let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers Support Group.

Mentor
Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | May 25, 2018
In reply to @chadknudson "I am a member of the sandwich generation, caring for my children and parent at the..." + (show)
@chadknudson

I am a member of the sandwich generation, caring for my children and parent at the same time. My dad lives on his own but I need to keep close tabs on him to ensure that everything is going alright. One tool that I use is TheirCare (https://their.care), a service that is delivered via smart TV that enables me to do video calls with my dad. He can answer my call with his TV remote and just talk to me from his recliner in his living room. I can call him from my computer or smart phone and get to see him and get an idea of how well he is doing.
Recently I have become concerned that he has dropped 17 pounds in the past 6-8 weeks and has been struggling with weakness in one of his legs.

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Hello @chadknudson I will be thinking of you and your dad. Best of luck!

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amybrandon | @amybrandon | May 25, 2018

Hi... My name is Amy and I am my twenty year old son's caregiver after he had a severe TBI. I would love to connect and talk to others because I am very lonely.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | May 25, 2018
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @19lin @aasthapuri @adri @bbams @besrus5 @bina @burrkay @charlena @chesneydell1965 @clayton48 @coladyrev @dawn_giacabazi @dawn0202 @eaglesview @IndianaScott..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi @19lin @aasthapuri @adri @bbams @besrus5 @bina @burrkay @charlena @chesneydell1965 @clayton48 @coladyrev @dawn_giacabazi @dawn0202 @eaglesview @IndianaScott @jeannie2 @jennyjones38 @jhammer @js119 @lindagee @lisa_sj9 @saltyfrog @shellsk24 @soul @sylviapf @tavi @ters1993
I'd like to invite you to the new Caregivers group. It's a space where we can share the ups and downs of caregiving, honestly and openly without judgement. Whether you're caring for someone with dementia, cancer, heart problems or whatever, please join us. Pull up a chair and tell us a bit about yourself.

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Hi @braves11 and welcome to the caregivers group. I know that @IndianaScott and others can relate to the challenges of interrupted sleep while caring for a family member. It must make it tough to stay focused at work.

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tcphonehome | @tcphonehome | May 25, 2018

I know there are lonely moments in my life also when my husband doesn't seem to know me and his short-term memory makes time so frustrating for him and I. But I do try and live my daily life one day at a time and this works for me. My hubby is my soul mate and this gives me strength to keep being the main caregiver for as long as he needs me love him unconditionally as he such a good person.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | May 25, 2018
In reply to @captainkenny "Hi Colleen, Thanks for your welcoming me to Mayo Clinic Connect. I have shared a few..." + (show)
@captainkenny

Hi Colleen, Thanks for your welcoming me to Mayo Clinic Connect. I have shared a few times and need your help in navigating the system. I was diagnosed July 2017 with Giant Cell (temporal) Arteritis, and have appreciated pertinent shares on GCA, but so often get sidetracked to another unrelated group. Apparently I am not correctly unsubscribing from groups I’m not interested in following. Thanks for your help.

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Hi @captainkenny, I'm glad John stepped in to help. Here are more instructions about using Connect, including subscribing and unsubscribing from groups and discussions.
Don't hesitate to send me an email using this form if you have further questions: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/contact-a-community-moderator/

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Mentor
Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | May 25, 2018
In reply to @amybrandon "Hi... My name is Amy and I am my twenty year old son's caregiver after he..." + (show)
@amybrandon

Hi... My name is Amy and I am my twenty year old son's caregiver after he had a severe TBI. I would love to connect and talk to others because I am very lonely.

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Hello @amybrandon Nice to e-meet you here on Mayo Connect! I am so very sorry to read of your son's condition. I am Scott and I was my wife's caregiver for 14+ years while she fought her battle with brain cancer and many symptoms from her TBI as well.

I can understand your feelings of being lonely! It was the isolation of caregiving that initially brought me to Connect! It was so isolating, especially once I lost my job and as caregiving 24/7. It is a journey none of us are prepared for, but are all of a sudden thrown into. I am glad you reached out here on Connect and our caregivers discussion group. Lots of caregivers here who love to listen, question, and have big shoulders for helping to manage the burdens all us caregivers carry.

Feel free to reach out here at any time -- Connect is up and running all day everyday and I well recall my early posts were usually made in the wee hours of the morning, which was the only time I had to post!

I hope this finds you as well as can be expected and I hope all goes OK for you every day!

Strength, courage, and peace!

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Mentor
Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | May 25, 2018
In reply to @tcphonehome "I know there are lonely moments in my life also when my husband doesn't seem to..." + (show)
@tcphonehome

I know there are lonely moments in my life also when my husband doesn't seem to know me and his short-term memory makes time so frustrating for him and I. But I do try and live my daily life one day at a time and this works for me. My hubby is my soul mate and this gives me strength to keep being the main caregiver for as long as he needs me love him unconditionally as he such a good person.

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Truly lovely words, @tcphonehome Your love shines in them!

Strength, courage, and peace!
Scott

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remi54 | @remi54 | May 25, 2018
In reply to @tcphonehome "I know there are lonely moments in my life also when my husband doesn't seem to..." + (show)
@tcphonehome

I know there are lonely moments in my life also when my husband doesn't seem to know me and his short-term memory makes time so frustrating for him and I. But I do try and live my daily life one day at a time and this works for me. My hubby is my soul mate and this gives me strength to keep being the main caregiver for as long as he needs me love him unconditionally as he such a good person.

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I definitely understand your living one day at a time! Since my husband was diagnosed I have just taken each day as it comes and at the end of that day look for the blessings we had. Sometimes it is hard to find that blessing..Some people think I have a stoic attitude about his illness but it is more of a coping mechanism I think. I can't look at what we had and mourn the loss or think about what is to come and again mourn the loss, so I choose to live in the day and be glad for what we have. He was my rock through spinal surgery and cancer and I need to be his rock now. He is an amazing person who has touched me and my family with so much love and I intend to stay strong for him.
Thank you for sharing. Strength and peace.
Remi

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tcphonehome | @tcphonehome | May 26, 2018

You are a very strong person and you are so right about staying strong for the man we love. I always picture myself being almost blind and with so many health problems my spouse has such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and pain that never leaves him for long. He had a recent hospital visit with pneumonia, and also overdose of codeine so this was very uncertain for some days. I have become much more independent in a lot of ways and hang onto the good days when we could just go out in the car for a fine country drive and check for small animals and welcome another spring with all the new growths popping up. I shall pray for you today for you to have calmness touch your daily life. God Bless

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myson | @myson | May 26, 2018

Hi. My husband and I will be primary caregivers for our adult son. We are waiting for his new lungs. Six weeks have gone by and the anxiety builds. I am wondering if anyone with a similar experience can give us a heads up for surgery and recovery of a double lung transplant.

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