← Return to Caregiving: I’m frustrated and exhausted.

Discussion

Caregiving: I’m frustrated and exhausted.

Caregivers | Last Active: Mar 27, 2022 | Replies (223)
Comment receiving replies
@ls1313

Thanks for answering. We live right next to Detroit, Warren. It’s the 2nd largest city in Michigan! We have a local FASD support group that I’ve been running since March 2020. I think we’ve met about 5 times! LOL! 😂

A friend has offered me 2 nights at her farm Airbnb. It’s right after our vacation, so I WILL need the rest/clear my brain. Being with Callie & her kids, and Mark too. It will be wonderful.

Tho there IS respite available, the Michigan heal & human services is so overwhelmed, there’s no respite available for more than a year.🙁

I take things one day at a time. The other 3 can run circles around me, they can make dinners. But I really need to go grocery shopping with them! I’m supposed to be eating more veggies, fruit, fewer carbs, some fish. I write these things on the list each week. They come home with very little that I asked for. Reason, it’s too expensive. Ok, but I’m trying to eat HEALTHY foods. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

We did a photo shoot on December 24 in Mint Hill, NC. The rest of the family lives there. They used to all be up here in Michigan.
Laurel

Jump to this post

Replies to "Thanks for answering. We live right next to Detroit, Warren. It’s the 2nd largest city in..."
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 22, 2022

Good morning Laurel, I am glad to hear that you do have help! No one would guess from looking at your family photo what challenges you face "behind the scenes".
I do have a few suggestions about the groceries - a new & learned behavior since Covid - order on line for the family to pick up. Using the on-line order service, you can see the prices and evaluate. Second - Send them to Aldi! We use ours for most grocery items and even a few paper goods. Bonus - no "stuff" to tempt like Target. Finally, frozen fruits and veggies are the nutritional equivalent of fresh, but are processed in season so often cheaper than fresh. We use the berries & many veggies frozen when out of season. Frozen berries work great stirred into yogurt as a meal, snack or dessert for the whole family. It would even be a treat you can teach the kids to make.
Maybe someone can co-run the FASD group to take a load off you? Just thinking out loud here - I understand the struggle you have - as a teen, I did respite for 3 families with very challenging children - only we called it babysitting then. Have you thought of contacting a local college or nursing school for a student to help?
Hoping you have some smiles amid the toil,
Sue

VIEW AND REPLY