I am a caretaker for my parents who are both 81 years old. My father had a quadruple by-pass years ago, is hard of hearing, a little bit cranky at times, but is in pretty good shape. My mother was diagnosed three years ago with Parkinson’s, and just last spring it was determined that her diagnosis was incorrect, and she doesn’t have Parkinson’s. Her ordeal with all the medication she was prescribed was a nightmare for all of us. And when she had to get off all the Parkinson’s medication, her doctors were no help at all. It was a very scary time, but she seems to be doing better now. My mom still has a lot of problems: essential tremor, two hip replacements, one knee replacement, breast cancer survivor, and neuropathy in her feet from the chemo. Still, she is an unbelievable person with a strong mind and a huge heart. We lost my older brother, and my only sibling, to cancer in 2004 so I am their sole caregiver. We do not live in the same house, but in the same apartment complex, so I am just minutes away. I am not writing this to gain sympathy, but to hopefully meet other people in my situation, to gain more insight into this new role of mine, and hopefully even find the humor in it from time to time. My Mom is having the Gamma Knife procedure on October 29 for her essential tremor, and although I think it will help her, it is always very, very hard to watch her go into another operating room. I hope I can learn from people on this site on how to best handle this new “role” of mine. And I’d like to help others if I can. The way I look at my caregiver role is that it is the toughest thing, but best thing I’ll ever do.
I'm really glad you've joined us!
Your mom sounds a lot like my mom. Hip replacement, breast cancer, mis-diagnosed ruptured appendix, and then years of adhesions paralyzing her digestive system and related surguries. She would be in such pain sometimes I could hardly stand it to see her suffer so. How do we know what to do? For me just one foot in front of the other, and somehow we just keep on going and make it through in spite of ourselves. Yes finding ways to laugh is important! Missy we need some good jokes!
Ask questions, share a concern, or offer advice and support.
858 posts
141 discussions
72 people talking
