Haven't had time to really blog like I want to and was looking into some information on having a blog on Google and who actually "owns" my blog...
Some people have been saying that when you create a blog on Google, they have ownership rights to what you say and post. I guess that's a bummer if they don't like what you are saying as well as if they decide to shut you down...
Still looking into the details on that but in the meantime, The show must go on....
If you have ever cared for someone who is seriously or chronically ill, chances are you have experienced "Caretakers Syndrome".
I call it " Caretaker Crash"
Ehow.com lists Caretakers Syndrome as the emotional and physical
stress from taking care of a seriously ill person for whom there is a
strong bond of love or friendship.
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Caretakers experience physical, emotional and psychological
exhaustion; listlessness; a need for diversion; and a growing wish to be
someplace else
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"The Caregiver Survival Series" by James R. Sherman, Ph.D.,
lists three stages that can evolve from syndrome to burnout. Frustration
stems from not seeing enough progress toward recovery; Depression
includes prolonged periods of helplessness, loss of concentration and
control; and Despair leads to hopelessness and resentment.
-
Studies by Harvard Medical School
and University of Pennsylvania suggest healthy spouses faced greater
risk of death themselves as a result of the fear and strain from beloved
partners' illnesses.
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Ease a caregiver's physical burden with home nursing services and housekeeping help. A support group encourages talking, sharing and learning with others.
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If you're experiencing Caretakers Syndrome, you may find it
helpful to write out feelings in a journal. Set positive goals, such as
renewing a hobby or visiting the library, and get out and exercise with a
daily walk.
I have Caretakers Syndrome.
In addition to caring for Xavier, I also have to care for my mother who has lived in an assisted living facility for the past 7 years in Camden, TN.
During the last few weeks while I was trying to figure out what in the world was going on with Xavier as his aggressive behavior became worse..
I have also been in the midst of getting my mother moved to Chattanooga to have her closer to me.
Since Xavier has been diagnosed with Autism , I have had to entrust most of her care to someone else.
But the Lord has been good in that he has taken up the burden for me. Her care has been good, but now that my father has passed away, and my mother suffered a stroke last May, I feel as if her being 6 hours away from me would only cause me to worry about her more.
So yes, I have double duty with a child with special needs on one end and a disabled parent on the other.
I had my Caretaker Syndrome diagnosed by a professional when I had a panic attack a few years back.
My fathers cancer had made him very ill. He was in the hospital in Memphis with his kidneys failing and I was 6 hours away and couldn't come to him.
Xavier was having a very hard time adjusting to being in Georgia, a new school, new home, new bedroom. everything new! Jordan just wanted to go back to be with his friends and was lonesome.
Them my mom had a stroke the week before I was to visit her for Mothers Day and I could not leave because Mark couldn't get off work and as usual I had no one to care for the boys.. Needless to say I FELT HELPLESS.
I was home alone. I had taken off work that day in case the hospital called to tell me I needed to head to my mom. I had already told Mark if they did call, I would check the boys out of school and take them with me and deal with Xavier the best I could..
.
..I was standing in my kitchen and all of a sudden I could not catch my breath.
I had felt a similar feeling before .. Before I was an old fat mommy, I used to run..(smile)
My first year a Christian Brothers College, I was introduced to the " BUC Mile" by my gym coach and I was hooked.
Running was FREEING, It was the best way to relax to me..
When I first began to run.. I learned that sometimes when you run, if you are not breathing properly you will start to feel as though you cant breathe at all.
When this happens, you should concentrate on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth to get oxygen to your brain and body...and soon the feeling will pass. Until I learned to breath properly.. this feeling would always alert me that I was holding my breathe or breathing with my mouth open....;-)
This feeling was like that .....but more intense...
It was as if I had been running and could not get any air in my lungs.
But when I tried to take a deep breath, someone was standing in my chest..!!!!.
I thought I was having a heart attack. .. Just when I was about to go into full panic, I calmed myself and the feeling passed.
But in the next few days , the feeling would come back several times.
I finally went to see a doctor who told me I was having panic attacks.
Since then I have slowly made some changes to be sure I do not allow my type A personality to cause me to stretch myself too thin.
I now try to sleep well.
Although I normally function on about 5-6 hours of sleep a night. I make myself sleep late on Saturdays and try to pray each morning before I get out of bed and each night before bed. I keep a journal and now I blog...;-)
I have a good friend in my BFF, Toby that I can vent to and my hubby is a very good supporter and help as well.
I try to live by the Serenity Prayer and when things get too much " I let Go and LET GOD"
I admit that is SOOO hard to to sometimes. Especially when you are impatient human as I am or just like to "fix" things.
I am still learning to take one thing at a time.. and to let some things go altogether.
I am learning that some things I cant change, are not worth getting upset over and not worth loosing precious time and energy on. I am learning to focus on the GOOD I can do and not the bad that happens.
I have also started back running. Since I have Waaaay less time and energy than I had when I first took it up, I admit it is taking me a longer time to get where I want to be.
But I have to remember the race is not given to the swift, but to those that endure..
So I know I will get there ...
Most of all, I try to always remember if I don't take care of ME, I cant take care of anyone else.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
New Living Translation (©2007)I
have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn't
always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the
battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not
necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead
successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right
place at the right time.
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