Wondering about my Wanderings

Being a Caregiver

I was involved in a caregiving position that reminded me of one glaring truth. In order to be a good caregiver one needs to take care of oneself. I went to my usual caregiving assignment and the wife of the client, usually the rock, totally in control started getting dizzy and out of sorts. There was a time of panic. She was the only one who knew all the rules about what it took to give her husband excellent care and she was increasingly faint. The client is in end stages Alzheimer's and is not able to do anything for himself.

As I watched the situation unfold, I was reminded how narrow minded any of can get. We love passionately the ones God gives over into our care. We pray that nothing ever happens to them. We pledge to give our hearts minds and souls over to the task of making our loved ones stay well and enjoy life. Then the unthinkable happens. I am the one who gets sick and who is there for me.

I pray I can recall the moments of panic. I felt uncomfortable for all of that time. At one point she called the caregiving agency of which I was a part and realized I was already there. There was no one that needed to be sent. I pray for all people that long to care for others as God cares for us. May they realize that unless they care for themselves they are less likely to care for others.