Care-giving is a choice. It is a path of generosity, sacrifice, and above all selflessness. A Caregiver's gentle touch, assistance, and dedication provides comfort and reassurances when others need it most. Caregivers are the beacon of light in someone's world, which may be laced in darkness, loneliness, and desperation.
Navigating through rough waters can be difficult, especially when a road map to your situation is nowhere to be found. I wish that two years ago-when I chose to become the person who would care for my husband- I had more guidance and knew more on how to not only cope with the magnitude of a horrific situation, but also how best to care for someone who was stripped of all physical abilities. Through trial & error, observation, love, and courage the care that I give to my husband has gotten better, and more rewarding. I've learned how to do things in a more efficient ,and most-loving way that makes each day easier to tackle.
I never liked using the term "caregiver" for myself, because then it would seem like what I do for my husband is a job or that the care I give for him is a chore. That has never been the case. I am a wife and mother first and foremost, who also "gives care" and support to her husband (and children). However, even though I don't choose to call myself a caregiver, I nevertheless still fall into that bucket. There are so many others- some I've met in person, others on The Internet-who also fall into this bucket. While not everyone's situation is as extreme as ours, we still share a common bond as givers of care, and more often than not have the same challenges and obstacles that we are faced with on a day-to-day basis. I've learned a lot from these special people, and it is my hope that others will learn from our experiences as well.
In the spirit of "sharing is caring," I've set up another page on my website specific to caregiving. For anyone who has, had, or will have, the privilege to "give care" in some capacity or for any reason for a loved-one, whether that person suffers from a spinal cord injury, a debilitating illness, or is elderly and needs your helping hands, I've dedicated a special page ("Caregiving") for you. New posts will cover topics relevant to "caregiving". I will include useful information, tips, and encouraging words that hopefully will be of use to you as you embark on your courageous journey. For a link to this new page, click here. (The first topic for this new page is about transfers).
Navigating through rough waters can be difficult, especially when a road map to your situation is nowhere to be found. I wish that two years ago-when I chose to become the person who would care for my husband- I had more guidance and knew more on how to not only cope with the magnitude of a horrific situation, but also how best to care for someone who was stripped of all physical abilities. Through trial & error, observation, love, and courage the care that I give to my husband has gotten better, and more rewarding. I've learned how to do things in a more efficient ,and most-loving way that makes each day easier to tackle.
I never liked using the term "caregiver" for myself, because then it would seem like what I do for my husband is a job or that the care I give for him is a chore. That has never been the case. I am a wife and mother first and foremost, who also "gives care" and support to her husband (and children). However, even though I don't choose to call myself a caregiver, I nevertheless still fall into that bucket. There are so many others- some I've met in person, others on The Internet-who also fall into this bucket. While not everyone's situation is as extreme as ours, we still share a common bond as givers of care, and more often than not have the same challenges and obstacles that we are faced with on a day-to-day basis. I've learned a lot from these special people, and it is my hope that others will learn from our experiences as well.
In the spirit of "sharing is caring," I've set up another page on my website specific to caregiving. For anyone who has, had, or will have, the privilege to "give care" in some capacity or for any reason for a loved-one, whether that person suffers from a spinal cord injury, a debilitating illness, or is elderly and needs your helping hands, I've dedicated a special page ("Caregiving") for you. New posts will cover topics relevant to "caregiving". I will include useful information, tips, and encouraging words that hopefully will be of use to you as you embark on your courageous journey. For a link to this new page, click here. (The first topic for this new page is about transfers).
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