Lee and I met when I was 23. He was 33. He was old. He had gray chest hair. Then, he picked up his guitar and that was it.
We realized almost immediately that we both have the same sense of humor. We love to laugh. We hate telling and listening to people telling jokes. Sometimes we bug people cause we have a lot of private jokes. Then, one day the laughter stopped. It was January 29, 2018. We were sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for her to come in and give us a second opinion. We tried to be hopeful.
And, then she gave us the news that ripped our world apart. It literally felt like it didn’t happen. Like it was a big joke — but nobody laughed.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Caring for a loved one strains even the most resilient people. If you're a caregiver, take steps to preserve your own health and well-being. The article goes on to say that, “As the population ages, more caregiving is being provided by people who aren't health care professionals. About 1 in 3 adults in the United States provides care to other adults as informal caregivers.
Check out this link for more information on how caregivers can alleviate stress.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/caregiver-stress/art-20044784
Caregivers have it rough, They suffer right along side of us. Lee has been there from the first minute I got the diagnosis. I know there were times he wanted to crumble, but he stayed strong for me when I was falling apart. Thank you, Lee. I literally would not have made it through this year without you.
Next time you ask a friend how they are doing….ask about their caregiver, as well. They struggle too!