JOAN’S BLOG – August 14, 2007 – WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER Today’s Blog is supposed to be the second part of Memory Techniques and Communicating With Your Spouse So They Will Understand you. I wrote it, and will post it tomorrow. Yesterday’s message board subjects prompted me to write the following for today: The hopelessness and depression expressed on yesterday’s message boards saddened me, and I need to address it here. Our spouses may be in different stages of the disease, and we are all in varying levels of feeling overwhelmed, burdened, and crushed by our responsibilities, but we are on this journey together. Some days I am so tired, I can barely move, but I know I have it easy compared to so many of you, who are dealing with younger children, uncooperative families, finances in worse shape than mine, and spouses in later stages than mine. The messages of support that many of you wrote to each other lifted my spirits, and I hope yours, to know that others empathize, understand, and are willing to listen. We cannot always offer solutions, but knowing that there are so many others like us experiencing the same problems and emotions eases the pain just a little. Thank you to those of you who were so generous in offering your support to our readers who are in such emotional pain. There is always help out there somewhere for us. Do not be ashamed to ask for it. Talk to your doctors, social workers, religious leaders, the Alzheimer Hot Line (1-800-272-3900), and all those wonderful people on our Message Boards. Feedback to joan@thealzheimerspouse.com |