Who takes care of the caregiver?

When you give and give and give...

And never get it back...

After awhile, your soul is gone, baby, gone...


Then what?


See y'all later.......

Rant over

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

Just dealing (and not too successfully) with the aftermath of a certain phone call Thursday...

Unintentional pain...

I am having trouble dealing with it...

Thanks...:hug:

makes you feel any better though. :hug:

It does help, and I thank you...:hug:

He's a gem and I love him beyond belief, but would love to hear the words some day, "Here, let me take care for a while".

Mr. Debi is a great dad and Debi Jr.'s friends have stepped up now that they're in college w/him. But ultimately it's mom and I fear it will be mom until I'm no longer able...then what? :shrug:

:hug: for you Peggy. Take some time, read a few pages of a book, drink some warm tea or take a bath. Something small to make you feel human again after feeling raw and exhausted. You're in my thoughts.

Oh, sweetie...

What I'm dealing with, though important to me, is nothing compared to what you're dealing with...

But I thank you for the thoughts, and the hugs...

And for the valuable reminder of what priorities are...

You are in my thoughts, sweetie... :hug:

I wish I could help you...

no ones burden is greater than the next. I wish I could help you!

I wish I was closer so I could give you and Mr. Debi a break....
its tough.....
I know.....
:hug: :hug: for you



lost

We're lucky cuz he's such a great guy. Thanks for thinking of us :hug:

Thank you...

You are helping me, believe me...:hug:

and not take care of everyone else all the time.

Choosing to care is one thing

feeling obligated to care is another

can't lose ourselves

:hug: :hug:

:loveya:

We do, don't we?

I don't really feel obligated, though...

Maybe underappreciated is the word...

But I'm not feeling that right now, sweetie!

Thank you... :loveya: :hug: :loveya:

I think that caregivers are so very often underappreciated and

CAREGIVING IS STRESSFUL AS HELL!!!!!

take care of yourself

I know you do...

:hug: :loveya: :hug:

And you, along with all the other outstanding souls in this thread, are helping me big time...

:loveya:

:hug:

I was co-caregiver for my baby brother....
he had AIDS
did CPR on my big brother
had a brain aneurysm
and was primary care giver for my mom.....
COPD

if you don't take care of yourself....
well I think you know the rest....
btw my daughter
blew my mind
she went beyond the call of duty as a granddaughter with my mom
she deserves...... nothing, nothing
but good things.



:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

for you

lost

Oh, sweetie...

As I said to Debi, above...

You dealt with much greater issues than mine ...

Mine are important to me, but...

You were heroic and courageous beyond belief...

Hats off to you...and your daughter too...

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: back atcha...

heroics and courage had nothing to do with it....
you above anyone knows....


its all love


pure, unadulterated..... love

:hug: :hug:

please, your pain is NEVER any less than anyone elses....

we all hurt

lost

It is about love...

But that makes things hurt more, when something you do out of love, is not valued or appreciated by the loved one...

Or even if they do appreciate it...

And fail to tell you somehow...

:hug:

but I care. :hug::hug::hug:

I know you do, and it means the world to me...

Thank you, sweetie...:hug: :hug: :hug:

I am feeling much better tonight...

I think it depends on those who know and love the caregiver to help support them - be it by helping them out, or by inspiring them, or by making them laugh.

Speaking of which, did those links offer any relief?

The links did help, and I thank you for finding all of those for me!

I am good tonight...

You help me so much, sweetie...:hug:

Regardless of any kudos you may or may not get from the recipient
of your care. If you burn yourself out, that person is left hanging
anyway. Take a deep breath and relax. I know-easier said than done.
***certain people***(if you get my drift) say the same to me.

Point is, there are those of us who love you as a kindred spirit and
human being. We got your back, and when you hurt, so do we.

Feel free to PM or call any one of us at any time.

:hug: :hug: :hug:

:loveya:

:grouphug:

You are a sweetheart, and I thank you for your very wise words...

I am not hurting tonight...

All is much better...

One thing this thread is doing is giving me much-needed perspective on how things are ...

I wish I could talk tonight, but I have waaaaaay too much homework to do...

:loveya: :hug: :loveya:

This thread, and replies thereto, gave me a chance to reflect
on priorities. Thanks.

:loveya:

:hug:

You have given and you take. Its so hard for those that just give and give. At some point however you cannot give with nothing in return. As a woman who has had great support in some areas of my life, I realize that those around me that give have the right to tell me to get on with it and just get life in the order I want. I appreciate that. Because even caregivers need to go out and live the life they want to live. You should not only live it....but enjoy it on top of that. My dear Peggy...go find a wonderful man...get some sangria...watch the sun come up over the ocean...and do for you. Because we cant love completely unless we are full within ourselves. Cheers!!!!!!

How wise you are!

I do have a wonderful man, and his love sustains me, always...

As do my dear friends, whom I hold close...

These words of yours touch me, since they are wisdom made manifest:

Because we cant love completely unless we are full within ourselves.

Thank you so much...

:hug:

I mean that. Have a good night sweetie! :hug:

just set me up with a place to stay and some beer, and I'll be set :hug:

I appreciate your very kind offer!

Thank you, sweetie...:hug:

The other day, driving home from work, I thought of that song "With or Without You" and some of the lines in it-- And you give yourself away... and you give yourself away...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yEfSnjL0pd8

As old as that song ("With or Without You") is, it still came on the radio just a few seconds after I was thinking about it! Funny, how that happens, sometimes, isn't it? It made me think. And this is what I came up with: I've decided I am tired of giving so much of myself away. I'm saving some of myself, well, for me (for lack of a better way to describe it)!

I've been listening to empowering songs a lot recently (not U2, but other ones). I hope you find something that works for you... something to keep that energy within you, Peggy.

Remember to take care of you, too!

:loveya: :hug: :-)

I know that song, and love it too...

We all need to keep something back, to take care of ourselves with...

I have learned that lesson, sweetie...

For me, the way I've been feeling the last couple of days...that feeling will stay in my memory...

And it will remind me to take care of myself, and not to give too much away...

Thank you...

:loveya: :hug: :loveya:

...boy do I. :hug: If you need someone to talk to, let me know. I have your number around here somewhere...:hug:

How good of you to offer...

But I'm so much better tonight!

It just takes time, introspection, and the help of my good friends right here...

Thank you, sweetie...:hug:

come by for a hug that lasts all day!


:hug:

Well now...

That would be some hug, sweetie!

Thank you...:hug: