Besides Maddie, my father lives with us and I am his primary caregiver. He had polio as a child, and wears a leg brace and has (IMO) post-polio syndrome. So I clean, shop, and cook for him. Since I’m doing all that anyways, its really no big deal. And in turn he helps keep an eye on the kids so I can shower and attend meetings.
Most of the time, he is just fine, all he needs is a little nagging to get by (like any man). But he’s had a pulled muscle for two weeks now, and the extra work and lack of his assistance is really tiring. And he is anti-doctor, which I completely understand from his experiences as a kid, but the last time I got him to the doctor’s office, it was only because he was practically unconcious and unable to object. But I wish he would let me take him in and have this current injury looked at.
So I was full of self-pity when I saw this book review on the Today Show . If you follow that link, you can view the video clip from the show too.
I don’t think caregiving is that different if its your child with Angelman Syndrome or your parent. You still need to learn to manage the physical and emotional demands that are put on you.
Best wishes to all the caregivers out there.
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August 7, 2008 at 12:59 pm
[...] Caregivingly Yours wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBesides Maddie, my father lives with us and I am his primary caregiver. He had polio as a child, and wears a leg brace and has (IMO) post-polio syndrome. So I clean, shop, and cook for him. Since I’m doing all that anyways, its really no big deal. And in turn he helps keep an eye on the kids so I can shower and attend meetings. Most of the time, he is just fine, all he needs is a little nagging to get by (like any man). But he’s had a pulled muscle for two weeks now, and the extra work and lack of his assistance is really tiring. And he is anti-doctor, which I completely understand from his experiences as a kid, but the last time I got him to the doctor’s office, it was only because he was practically unconcious and unable to object. But I wish he would let […] [...]