I just read a post on a group I belong to: myALzTeam. A person was talking about caring for her father while he was caring for her Moher with Alzheimer’s. That reminded me of all the advice I have been given about caring for one’s self.
What I would like to address is not the kind of self care that involves going to the hairdresser or other shopping. I mean self care of the “medically essential” type.
I recently had cataract surgery in one eye, and in a couple of weeks, the other eye will be dealt with. That means one day of surgery, next day post op, drops in your eye 3 times a day and sleeping with an eye shield. It also means that as quickly as the eye heals, I will still a little hazy for a couple of days.
My husband is safely in a dementia care facility. But, what if I had had to have had this surgery performed when he was still with me at home? What if it had not been outpatient surgery? I could have been gone for days, not hours.
No one wants to plan ahead for a medical issue, elective surgery or an emergency. But, it might be a good idea to gather your support team around and make a plan. Will there need to be overnight accommodations, or day care? How many prepared meals will get you through days when you aren’t cooking? Imagine all the things you do as a caregiver, then ask your self who could/would do them if you weren’t able to, even for a couple of days.
I am not trying to give you one more thing to worry about, but to have even a broad outline of a “what if” plan, is better than be blindsided.
with love and hope,
Jane
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