I invite you to log onto the home page - www.thealzheimerspouse.com - and read my Christmas Blog. A little different this year and something to think about. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope your holiday is the best it can be under the circumstances.
Joan what a beautiful blog. What a gift to give, and to receive, the gift of caring and love and understanding.
If you don't mind I would like to add here, as I am heading out the door, a very Merry Christmas to you all, though I do not post much I will be back...and I do love and care for you all. Thank you for a wonderful home here at Joan's.
Joan, what a very timely and inspiring post. Your neighbour's feelings are something we all struggle with......just last week at a caregiver's support group, one of the wives described herself some days as a 'witch on wheels' and we could all empathize. It got me thinking after the meeting about just how best to cope with the feelings of frustration and exasperation.....you get tired of answering the same question ten times in ten minutes, raise your voice and say something unkind and then feel guilty and resolve not to do it agin.........until the next time, which is generally the next day. I have been thinking of going for some professional counselling just to learn some coping mechanisms, but there is so much experience and wisdom on here that I'm hoping someone can give me some tips.
Thanks, and best holiday greetings to you all. I hope everyone has a chance to share, relax and see the joy in the season even in the difficult circumstances of this disease.
Your browser seems to have cached the Reflections blog and isn't updating. Usually forcing a page to update will fix the problem. Or restarting the browser. Or restarting the computer.
Joang,
That is a touching story. It is important to reach out. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have people tell me often that my feelings are normal.
Joang , from a different perspective, may, I say, "You are spot on." Your empathy and experienced advice are wonderful gifts to have shared. Another, I learned, while Caregiving my DH, was that being a graceful receiver was a great gift to the giver--allowing them the pleasure of giving. A "Thank you." with a smile or hug can brighten their day while it makes you feel that somebody cares.
In this last year I have learned a new twist on your sharing/gifting/supporting theme. It all translates. We can apply all the knowledge so hard won as ALZ Caregivers to help others dealing with other problems. Just one example is that as I have become involved in support group sites for folks with Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a reoccurring topic has been "dealing with famiiy members, friends, co-workers, medical professionals, the public------WHO DON'T GET IT." How many ways have we dealt with that. Passing on what I learned here on Spouse has helped some folks. That feels good.
An excellent season to recognize some good things we have gained along the ALZ Road.
Wolf - from problems others have had, I knew it would show up eventually.
Joan - sounds like maybe an answer to why you are the youngest amongst all the older folks - you might find you are needed there to advocate and support the spouses of those who have yet to need the help with Alzheimer's.
Sharing how I felt when my dh passed with a friend when her husband died began a close relationship. I had known her for many years but we never had much in common. She calls occasionally when she begins to feel depressed and we share or go out for lunch and know we can be real about how things are going and be understood.