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Caregiving: I’m frustrated and exhausted.
Caregivers | Last Active: Mar 27, 2022 | Replies (223)Comment receiving replies
Hello @debiobrien Thank you for the moving post. I could feel your sadness and pain in your words. I hope your mom and your aunt both are doing OK today.
I have always said caregiving is a far tougher job than the vast majority of folks realize, but was taken aback as you said it beat your work as a cop for being tough. I was sorry to read you were injured in the line of duty. I am pleased you are here with us in the Mayo Connect caregiver community!
While I was caregiving, and like you found myself giving up so many things in my life, I began to make a list. It was the things I wanted to do once I could get out of the house. They were mostly very small things like write to an old friend, visit the only friend who stuck by me during my wife's illness to thank him, likewise with the one friend who stayed supportive of my wife, clean areas of the house, hold a garage sale, etc. I still miss my wife more than I can imagine and fight depression daily, but still keep this list going because it helps keep ME going! I never cross an item off the list as complete before I add one new one to the bottom of the list. Might not be for you, but just an idea that I found, and continue to find, helpful.
I hope you find the support of this group helpful.
I also hope the sun is shining wherever you are today -- that always helps me.
Strength, courage, and peace
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some of my friends keep saying i need to go on a vacation and just have some fun that mom and aunt are fine on their own for a few days. so i searched and search for a place i might like to go and didnt find anyplace close enough for just a few days away. its so hot in florida and to hot to do to many outside things. i thin the only thing i really love is the carolina mountains in the fall. the only nice memory of my life i went there in 2012 and saw the colors for the first time in my life and it was breath taking. i soft of imagine myself heading for the mountains when i do lose my mom. that seems to be the only place i have ever felt true peace in my life.
Im so sorry for the loss of your wife and i will pray for you for more peace and comfort and for the depression to life and go away and i understand what thats like myself.
I try to find thing that maybe me and mom could do and mentioned to her today about maybe going to [play bingo or go to a movie and she seemed to like both idea. she is doing well but my aunt is housebound and not well. but i really want to spend some fun and quality time with my mom and have some fun memories since most of them are bad memories right now . its hard to find things a 92 year old lady would enjoy or even be able to do and especially in the town we live in not much to do here/.
well take care of yourself and i wish you all the best and happy times to come your way and many blessings. debi