There is a steadying calm that comes with caregiving and there is a thunderous storm. Within that storm there may be grief, anger, fear and resentment. And beneath these feelings the mother of all emotions may crouch. Her name is grief.
The Caregiver's Dilemma, Part II
There is a thin, pliable membrane that runs between life and death. It is both fierce and fragile. When we are healthy, most of us don’t ever think of that delicate proximity. We are too busy living to consider dying, except, perhaps, in the abstract and generally in regards to someone else’s life, not our own.
The Caregiver’s Dilemma, Part I
Caregiving is an ongoing endurance triathlon: swimming in dark, choppy waters, cycling a twisted, rutted road that ends in a cliff hanger, and running in every direction simultaneously. In the beginning, adrenaline and a sense of intensely focused purpose will get you a long way. But as you settle into the nearly completely unpredictable new normal of your life, you may find your energy, patience, resilience and sense of humor more difficult to rally. You may feel exhausted, sad, scared and alone.