I find that one of the most important things about being a caregiver...is being selfless. You ALWAYS have to put the person you are caring for...first. ALWAYS!
For example, my Mom hasn't been tolerating food lately. I'm not sure what is going on. Every few months, she gets like this. Nothing really changes it. It's just something that happens. The look of food, smell, texture...all bother her. She basically becomes a vegetarian. And lives off of bread and eggs.
The biggest issue is meat. It's been a good 6 weeks since I've been able to cook meat. I mean, even the Sonic, McDonald's, and Chili's commercials make her sick. We normally eat a lot of chicken. But it's now become an almost daily part of our diet.
In the same respect, I'm severely anemic. I take a daily high dose of iron. And a weekly bolus. Sometimes it gets so bad, that I have to have an infusion. So meat is definitely a cornerstone of my diet.
Late last week, I was getting the shakes. I knew I needed to eat some red meat. Nothing else was working. So when my Mom went to bed...I went to get a burger. And in the cold, I sat outside to eat it.
It took me 2 days to get the smell out of our car. I felt somewhat better. But we are still a meatless house. For the moment. It's just one of those things. And I just have to figure my way around it.
Another example of putting her first, is happening tomorrow. My Mom and my aunts are going out to lunch and a movie. A movie that I've been wanting to see for months! But I need to take care of some medical things. For my Mom. And the fact that I don't have to drag her around town, in the cold, comes first.
So she'll go have a fun day. And I'll run around setting up upcoming tests, getting financial paperwork done, and delivering some orders. Because...we need to pay for all that good medical stuff. I probably make deliveries 2-3 times a week. And I HATE to make my Mom go with me. Especially since it's gotten so cold again.
I guess eventually, the movie will come out on TV. And I'll probably grab a quick bite on my way home. Which is also a treat. Because I try to cook most of the time. Maybe I'll pick up a good burger. Yum!
I also find, setting up mini dates helps a lot. Even if you rarely get to go out yourself. But if you can arrange for your person to go to breakfast, a movie, or just visit with someone...even for an hour. It helps you to get things done.
Even if all you want to do, is stay home and sleep. Find someone who can maybe stay with your loved one, while you do your weekly grocery shopping. Or your monthly errands. Even just a monthly 2 hours...so you can meet with your medical team to setup appointments and such. 💜
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