Self Care

Battlebuddy

   Last Christmas I developed a mysterious rash on my hands. It was very red and itchy and began working it’s way down my wrist and heading down my arms. The dermatologist determined it was stress induced Eczema . He asked if I was stressed lol. Ah yes. Yes I am. 

   That rash was a visible representation of what stress was doing to me. I decided to take seriously self care. We never have  time for it but I just decided to make time . I bought an exercise bike. I started reading again . I’ve read three books. I booked an appointment with a therapist. I’m hiring a home health aide. They are coming Monday for the safety check. When I get an aide in here , and if it works with my husbands new crabbiness, I’m getting back on the bike. And almost too good to be true I will be able to go to Home Goods and wander. 

    Since I’ve made these changes my hands have calmed down considerably . They look really good today. Just wanted to share and wondered how others self care is going. 

Stuck in the middle

I dug weeds out of my gardens for an hour early this morning before it got hot.  I admired the birds and wild flowers in the vacant lot behind mine.  I ate the last cup of fresh blueberries from the batch I bought from the roadside stand Wednesday.  I enjoyed your upbeat post.

Self cared for.  

French

Yes i also have eczema sometimes. It always appears at the same place, on my hip. It is not often but I know it is caused by stress.

I was running 4 hours per week and cycling 2 hours. In March I had to stop running because of my knee. It took me 2 months to decide to go to the doctor.  I did the xray and the good news is that nothing is damage it is just that my patella are not in the right place. A little physical therapy should fix it. I will begin next week. But yes I miss running. And I gained 2 kg in 3 months. 

Running for me it is feeling free, feeling fit, something only for me. I think it will be very difficult when I will go running again, even if I continue to cycle. 

The problem is finding time as I must adapt to my work and to my husband occupation. I run early in the morning. 

I also read less now. Because when I read he is unoccupied and pace near me. No pleasure reading in such conditions. So I watch more and more tv. I would prefer reading.

I have a jacuzzi. I used to go 2 times per week. But he wants to come with me. This means managing his shower before, Helping him to put on a bathrobe and flip-flops. Last time when going out the jacuzzi, it took 5 minutes to put on the bathrobe and on flip-flop and while I was explaining him he must put the second one he entered in the jacuzzi with the bathrobe and one flip-flop… imagine this immediately erase the benefits of the jacuzzi. Now I explain he comes only once per week because I am too tired.

Doityourselfer

My husband is in the severe stage of Alzheimer's and is now sleeping longer hours, going to bed around 4:00pm.  I now have some peaceful hours and a bit of freedom from caregiving for my self-care.  It's so nice!