
Many of us, myself included, come from a dysfunctional family which adds a lot of weight to the challenges of caregiving. I have read stores on various threads on other topics and decided it would be good to have a thread just for this topic for people to share, vent and discuss.
The idea for this thread originated on the thread named "The Caregiver....How are YOU doing today?"
Fellow passed away and found himself with St. Peter at the pearly gates. He was pretty nervous and St. Peter says " Don't worry. Everyone in Heaven is really nice, and warm, and friendly. Go on over to the orentation center and pick out some housing and I will see you at supper. We usually all get together towards evening." So off he goes and later; he is standing in line to eat when all of a sudden this fellow in a white coat. comes by and starts elbowing and pushing his way to the front of the line. Well he gets really nervous again and sees St. Peter a few paces behind him in line. So he goes to him and says " I thought you said everyone in heaven was warm and nice and friendly; what's up with that guy?" St. Peter chuckles and says " Oh, that's God; sometimes he likes to pretend he's a doctor." PEACE
Blessings Jesse, words are not coming to me to express the depth of what I am feeling. From my heart to yours...LOVE.
I thought for a minute. Tomorrow was Mar. 5. But it was written right there on the calendar. I checked again, and there it was "Labour Day"... in Australia.
One doesn't have to have Alz to say the darndest things.
I was looking forward to oversleeping a bit this morning. Didn't happen. My mother came in and told me she needed to go to the hospital because her pulse was 96. I told her that was normal and not to worry. She then called my brother and a doctor about it. I got up and tried to deal with everything.
This made me realize that things are going to be very different now. When my father was alive, my parents were a bit like a buffer for each other. Now there is only me. It is going to be hard to be right there on the front line, instead of in the backfield. I am beginning to think that caring for one parent will be more demanding than caring for two. We will have to see.
My father's funeral is this week. All is arranged except the financial matters that have to be tended to (social security, insurance, etc.). We are all handling things as well as can be expected. It's an uneasy situation, though. I feel like things could change at any moment and we could be totally swamped. I hope not.
My brother has really stepped up this last week. He and his family has been champions. They gave me yesterday off from the hospital and brought my mother home. I was able to get a lot accomplished. We had called Hospice in today. We planned to take him home and set up a hospital bed in the family room. He did not live long enough to come home. He passed as peacefully as could be expected. I am glad that he is at peace now, because his suffering had been bad during the last couple of weeks.
Everyone here is okay. I know we'll be busy the next few days. I wish that dying was easier. There is so much work to be done at a time when we all just need to rest.
As for yourself..take a good book, the newspaper, or favorite mag, run a hot bath, take a radio with you to tune out all the chaos going on outside the door, lock the door and give yourself 20 minutes to be a woman again..
Sounds like help in on the way with your friend coming to stay. While they too may be leaving drama, it will give you someone to laugh with, hug, and a friendly face, but most of all someone in your life WHO WANTS NOTHING!! In my prayers