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

.....you spend 10 minutes explaining why the meds are set up the way they are... and you get the reply, 'no, I'm not playing Bridge this week'.

....you feel you are explaining Quantum Physics to get them to lift their feet to put shoes on.

When nothing done by siblings surprises you any more.

you are the last one to find out that a deposit has been paid for a unit in a facility.

you decide to skip the big family thanksgiving gathering to keep mom comfortable and content at home!

...You find yourself drying your mother-in-law's hands after she's helped with the washing up - but it's your own mother you're caring for...

you know that most full time jobs are are 40 hours, but your full time job is 168 hours a week. Quadruple full time!

you place a bar of soap in the bathroom and remove the liquid soap to keep it from being used as moisturizer.

You decide to try to muster up some self care and put on some make-up to find spiderwebs and moths have invaded your cosmetic drawer!

... when you always look in the toilet and are measuring, gauging .. size, volume, color, firmness .. and smell.

On Thanksgiving Day you would rather free the Turkey and carve up your relatives.

You go out to dinner with your husband's boss and unconsciously begin cutting up his food. ( My girlfriend actually did that.)

Love this thread!
You know you are a care giver when you ALWAYS look before you sit on the potty!

You know you are a caregiver when the cat is blamed for everything and you don't have a cat.
OK I"ll stop now I was having too much fun. May your Thanksgiving be at least peaceful.

You know you are a caregiver when you have to sew Velcro on Dad's pants

You know you are a caregiver when the owner of the corner store sends his daughter into the back room as soon as Dad walks through the door with "that look" on his face

You know you are a caregiver when the greeter at Walmart runs for a mop and bucket as soon as you lead Mom through the door.

You know you are a caregiver when the only time the neighbors call you is when mom is running down the street naked again.

It no longer troubles you that when you check out with Tena pads at the supermarket, people might think they're for you.

You know you are a caregiver when you don't own a single garment that says "dry clean only"

You keep a diaper bag in the car and you don't have a baby

You have poo on your shoes and it isn't yours.

You always have a load of many times folded towels to fold again.

Almost every shopping trip, you first add all the parent's stuff into the cart before yours. By then, time is running out and you didn't get all you needed for yourself. Which means it gets put on hold til the next shopping excursion.

You that that sundown is a verb, much different than the noun to describe the glorious skies at the end of the day.

You start your day by checking in with Aging Care to remind yourself, I can do this because I am not alone.

… If an old friend gets in touch to suggest you meet up for dinner in town and you laugh your head off...

I don't know what it is with the 'paper products' but I can find C anytime anywhere because she leaves a trail.

A&A, what in the world is it with the napkins and tissues?!

You see your loved one messing things up, making the task even more difficult, but you still smile...