YOU NEVER KNOW HOW STRONG YOU ARE UNTIL BEING STRONG IS THE ONLY CHOICE YOU HAVE. SO MANY OF US ARE LEARNING THAT LESSON NOW. SO MANY OF US KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS SICK, SOMEONE WHO HAS DIED, SOMEONE WHO IS DYING. COPING WITH THE SUDDENNESS OF LIFE'S CHANGES THAT OCCUR IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE HAS A DRASTIC IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE. IF YOU HAVE BEEN A CAREGIVER - OR ARE TRYING TO BE ONE NOW, YOU ARE PAINFULLY LEARNING THAT THERE IS MORE THAN INSUPPORTABLE PHYSICAL ILLNESS AND ITS PAIN. THERE ARE SURROUNDING ISSUES THAT DARE TO INTERFERE WITH OUR FELT AGONY OF WATCHING THE SUFFERING OF A LOVED ONE. THERE ARE CLAIMS TO FILE, PAPERWORK TO COMPLETE, PRESCRIPTIONS TO FILL AND THE UNBEARABLE HUNTING FOR WORDS THAT ARE NEVER FULFILLING ENOUGH TO SHARE THE MENTAL SUFFERING AND HEARTBREAK THAT EXCEEDS YOUR FELT INABILITY TO COPE.
THAT ROLE OF A CAREGIVER IS TAXING AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE ARE NEVER TAUGHT ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE IT. THERE ARE DECISIONS TO BE MADE, SO MANY OF US HAVE NEVER HAD THE FORETHOUGHT TO SIT DOWN AHEAD OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO BE TREATED WHEN WE ARE ILL, TO DISCUSS END OF LIFE ISSUES THAT ARE HARD TO TALK ABOUT. MANY OF US ARE NOT BRAVE ENOUGH TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT A MEDICAL DIRECTIVE IS? FIND OUT. CREATE ONE, DOES SOMEONE HAVE YOUR POWER OF ATTORNEY TO MANAGE FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL MATTERS?
IT HAS OFTEN BEEN SAID THAT TAKING CARE OF A SERIOUSLY ILL PERSON IS LIKE HAVING ANOTHER CHILD. WHAT A PILE OF CRAP THAT IS. SOME PEOPLE WITH GRAVE ILLNESSES ARE UNABLE TO HEAR YOU SPEAK. MANY CAN HEAR BUT ARE UNABLE TO SPEAK BACK. HOW PAINFUL IT IS TO BE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE. IT TAKES ENERGY AND PATIENCE TO AVOID NEGLECTING THE AILING. THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION BUT THEY FEEL. THEY FEEL FRIGHTENED. THEY FEEL SAD. THEY FEEL WORRIED, THEY FEEL HELPLESS. THEY FEEL GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO MANAGE THEIR MEDICATION AND DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS. THEY FEEL EMBARRASSED WITH SOME LOSS OF MODESTY AND DIFFICULTY MANAGING BODILY FUNCTIONS.
AS A CAREGIVER YOUR OUTSIDE RELATIONSHIPS WILL CHANGE. YOU WON'T SEE FRIENDS AS OFTEN AND YOU MAY NOT THINK TO JOIN A GROUP OF CAREGIVERS BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO PROUD TO TALK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS AND ANGER,
TAKE AN HONEST LOOK AT THE CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR THE SICK, THE WORRIED, THE DYING.
"EACH OF US KNOWS THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION YO CARE FOR THE OLD. THE YOUNG AND THE SICK. WE STAND STRONGEST WHEN WE STAND WITH THE WEAKEST AMONG US."