You know you are a caregiver if.....

You know youre a caregiver if you get to stick a suppository up someone else every morning and you load and lift the oxygen tanks and wheelchair over and over and carry buckets of water and,and,and.My list could go on forever.

You get really sick and tired of being told you are so negative! Just try walking a mile or four years in my shoes!

You think you have everything covered - wipes, Depends pamper, roll of toilet tissue, extra undie in that black shoulder bag for outings.. . and then fervently hope that you don't have to use it!

... and I have to add that no matter how large the bag, you need a larger one. I thought maybe getting a mule to help me carry things might be a good idea.

You carry a bag larger than most, to hold the wet wipes, cup with a straw, extra clothes just in case, a plastic bag in case the extra clothes are needed. And a quick snack because waiting to long for anything could induce an epic melt down.

You know you are a caregiver when at a doctor's appointment with your parent, you immediately have to repeat LOUDER what the doctor just said.... kinda like the very old Saturday Night Live news skits for the "hard of hearing".

You know you're a caregiver when ...
You wish you never had to hear another story about the 'old days' again.
She is allowed to sleep as long as she wants during the day, but she'll purposely wake you up for silly reasons five minutes after you've laid down for a nap.
You hide in the bathroom with the door locked for a few minutes of peace and quiet ... and worry about what she might be getting into while she's out of earshot.
You desperately wish she would sleep in in the morning so that you can eat breakfast by yourself.

...you don't have any room for your own things in your purse because it is loaded with your mother's supplies.

If when the caregiving is done you feel lost, don't know what to do with yourself.

He was a true gentleman, then. Probably one of very few who truly loved her and not seeing her as an object to take advantage of.

Married to Marilyn and *Never Breathed A Word* against her, not for any money, and you can just imagine how much he was offered for his story. Takes quite a man to be that loyal and truly loving even after divorce. I know nothing whatever about baseball (except that it's not cricket) but he is still my hero.

Well, there is tip-toeing thru the tulips, guess the azaleas need some attention too....

(Sorry, posted too fast).I am dreading the day she is released because I am afraid that I won't be able to take care of her by myself properly.

Country, you are so right! I care for my aunt, who has had 2 strokes. She recentlybroke her hip after falling from sofa and is now in a rehab facility. She hates it but I am disabled myself and we thought it would be the better choice.

Oh, dear. I can picture that, endofrope. Mine wouldn't do it because we'd have to call 911 to get her back upright.

you have to explain to your mother's neighbors that "no, she isn't pooping in the front yard, she is experimenting with a more "green" way of fertilizing the azaleas"
(yes, this really happened yesterday).

You chuckle when geriatric care manager arranges a tour of a facility located .5 miles from major sports venue on opening day with game starting .5 hours after tour reservation.

Thanks for the Yiddish lesson Countrymouse!! I didn't know what mensch was so I looked it up and I totally agree. Never knew him of course personally, but there is something about him (Jimmy) that transcends thru the media. Don't know much about Joe except that he was an exceptional ball player. And married to Marilyn.

Jimmy Stewart = grade A mensch, Francis. Him and Joe DiMaggio.

I'm chuckling at the TV show posts - our day goes like this:

I Love Lucy
Golden Girls
Frasier
Rosanne or whatever else we can find until....
noon news
In the Heat of the Night or Blue Bloods
Little House on the Prairie and/or Waltons
(if mom goes to sleep long enough, I slip in Cold Case Files or another true crime show, which I love, but I usually don't bother, because she's like a ping-pong ball - up every 10 minutes, and refuses to watch "that stuff" - sigh)
then it's the 5pm news
6pm world news
Jepoardy
something with animals on Animal Planet or NatGeo
and if we're up late enough (I usually am, working) - it's Golden Girls again.

you are having trouble seeing the computer and chalk it up to being tired, only to discover your glasses are not on...no wonder things seem fuzzy!

You are tempted to "wake them up" when they are sleeping soundly as revenge for same, but change your mind when you realize you have a few minutes to yourself.

CM, since the beginning of my caregiving, anytime mom was hospitalized, my siblings & SIL took turns staying at the hospital 24/7. I was told that since I do the daily cg, then I'm not expected to do my 'watch'. This also carried over when mom passed away, and dad would go to the hospital. Except, his mouth was so bad, verbally loud and abusive, that no one watched anymore. When I went to visit him, in front of the doctor, he verbally abused me. I was very embarrassed. I stopped visiting long - and just did a drive by visit.

The middle of the night spam postings really start to tick you off!

I love the Golden Girls!

...You really think you can do this by yourself

The Golden Girls are still funny :) Anything with Jimmy Stewart is good too. (How could anyone NOT like that guy???) :)

We watch EWTN, The Golden Girls and the oldies music station. That is how I get things done.

You know you are a caregiver if --

The personal information section of your daily planner has your charge's medical insurance numbers and information, instead of your own! :-)

:-(

I hope not, glad.