This won’t be a shock to any care giver or former care giver who finds this blog post.  Care giving is hard work and exhausting.  It’s also rewarding and heartwarming. 

My father had emergency open heart surgery this week and I was able to go and visit and be a support to my mom.  She has recently experienced significant hearing loss.  I thought I was heading to Florida for one reason, and to help care for one person, and I really was going to help care for two people.  I became a translator to my mother.  Repeating all of the Dr.’s and nurses comments to her, not to mention the comments of visiting friends and family.  I had to remain alert to inform my mother when someone came into the room.  People would come and go if she wasn’t actively watching the door.  On a positive note, she gets hearing aids in just a few days.  Thankfully, the day before I return home she’ll be outfitted with her aids.

I will have only participated in 5 days of caregiving before returning home, and I’m exhausted on day 3.  My hat is off to all of the diligent care givers who hang in there for weeks, months, and years.  If you know of someone who is giving long term care to a loved one, if you are able, arrange to give them a much needed break. 

I’m grateful for my limited experience this week.  I’m sure I’ll be called upon to give care again in my life.  I realized for the first time how much the care giver is the advocate for the patient, and if the care giver isn’t present, the pateint doesn’t always receive proper care.  Pray for those care givers you are aware of.  Pray that God gives them strength and energy and puts people in their lives to remind them to care for themselves, and even to help them do that.

Posted by Anita Lustrea  |   3 Comments »