Ode to Caregiving
My heart has been heavy lately thinking about all of the other people in my expanded circle of friends and acquaintances who are struggling with cancer or other lingering health problems. Many of them are caregivers to the sick. Spouses, siblings, grown children, all of them trying to be strong for the sick while working full time jobs, raising children, and dealing with their own life problems. There was a time in my life when I too was a caregiver. It was at a time in my life when I was working on the weekends, home schooling preteens, all while juggling my concerns and often preoccupation with my husband's issues. It was tough, trying to raise children and be compassionate to my husband's darkest days. It wasn't until my care-giving ended that I realized how exhausted and depleted I felt. Several years ago the script was flipped and I had a major injury to my leg. I would have been up a creek without my husband and sister. ...