Sunday, April 24, 2005

CAREGIVER2

I AM A RETIRED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE. NOW A FULLTIME CAREGIVER.

MY HUSBAND OF 54 YEARS WAS DIAGNOISED WITH ALZHEIMERS 5 YEARS AGO.
MY DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOISED WITH OVARIAN CANCER LAST SUMMER. MY DAUGHTER HAS A 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.

WE SOLD OUR RETIREMENT HOME OF 10 YEARS TO MOVE INTO MY DAUGHTERS HOME. FOR SIX MONTHS I CARED FOR MY DAUGHTER DURING CHEMO AND MY GRANDAUGHTER WITH MY HUSBAND.

A FEW MONTHS AGO MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED INTO A SENIOR CITIZENS COMPLEX. I AM STILL CARING FOR MY HUSBAND FULL TIME AND MY GRANDAUGHTER A COUPLE OF DAYS A WEEK.

I AM FEELING COMPLETELY ISOLATED BEING IN A NEW STATE AND CITY WITHOUT A SUPPORT GROUP OF FRIENDS. I AM ATTENDING A ALZHEIMERS SUPPORT GROUP A COUPLE OF TIMES A MONTH, BUT I AM HAVING A HARD TIME FEELING A PART OF THE GROUP MOST OF THEM HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER A LONG TIME.

I REALLY NEED SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT RELIGION, POLICTICS OR JUST HOW YOU ARE COPING WITH CAREGIVING.

5 comments:

P M Prescott said...

Glad to see you getting into blogging. This is a much better way of communicating than long distance phone calls or snail mail. In a few days I'll post some more pictures.

Xpatriated Texan said...

God bless you and your family. I'll add you to my blog roll and my prayer list.

XT

Paul said...

Similar situation here. I don't talk about it on my blog much, but some personal info is at www.hmoappeals.com.

For 12 years a lot of people have been praying for me, but when you have an undiagnosable disease or an incurable one, petitionary prayer - asking God for favors - doesn't seem to work. And considering how commmon suffering is around the world, I've never really been able to figure why God should bless me in particular instead of someone else.

Why me? has become, Why not me? That people have to suffer so deeply on this earth disturbs me most because a great deal of it is unecessary - caused by the deliberate action or inaction of other human beings.

Prayer's easy. What's hard is finding someone to change the bandaid on your infected toe when you can't reach it anymore, and your only sibling works all day, and you're too young to qualify for programs for the elderly, and your condition is so rare that there is no diagnosis for it, not even from NIH or Johns Hopkins.

So I tend to prefer contemplative prayer.

And you're included in that.

P M Prescott said...

RE: your comment on my blog. I don't think she'll try anything that stupid, after all this is not a new building like Washington Middle. I'm trying to bite my tongue and keep a low profile, but it is getting harder and harder.

Small Glimpses said...

My grandfather passed away from Alzheimer's back in 1996. He was a wonderful man and I miss him dearly. He will always have a special place in my heart.

I'm so glad you've found the blog world. I've discoverd that I'm not so alone in my thoughts and beliefs. I sure appreciate Dr. Prescott's blog. I grew up Episcopalian, but attended a Southern Baptist Church in college and was in the thick of much of what Bruce writes about and carry some deep wounds from what's happening. (Good's coming out of it, but it's been a long struggle)

I also noticed that you've read all the cat mystery books. I love cats and have two of my own (and two dogs). My husband and I love animals. :)