How do you get through your day?

MN774

What keeps you going when you feel just so defeated?

DCCEPEK

A good cry sometimes and then there's times I look up and say thank you Lord that I'm well and able. Been up all night watching MIL sleep walk fully medicated day 7 of walking in circles. There's no making her sit or lay. Stage 6 or 7 somewhere Stay strong

psg712

Faith that God is with us, he loves my mom more than I do and he gives me strength when I just don't have it. Support from folks who understand (including the folks here on this site - I have learned so much and received really good advice and comfort here!). Going to watch my son play ball and just take a break from thinking about mom's issues! Finding the humor in some of the situations - a good cry is therapeutic, a good laugh is heartening.

Hang in there friend. Don't be afraid to seek professional help if you are sinking under the weight of it all. You are not alone.

catminor

Quiet time alone. Venting to closest friends. Snuggling with my fur baby. Sleep! Sometimes the distraction of working a couple of days a week at my job. Putting on Cozy Room TV and reading a book to escape reality. Cooking myself a really nice meal. Lavender Epson Salt baths. Shopping online for cheap silly stuff that makes me and my cat happy at home. Watching Dr. Who. Sleep (worth repeating!) 😊

scoutmom405

In Oct 23 I was starting to feel overwhelmed. Dementia progressing for 91 Vet FIL. I reached out to our caregiver support coordinator & she helped set up in home respite services. Since Nov 23 I have 6 hrs a week where respite sitter comes & relieves me. At 1st I'd just go to my room & lay down. It felt like such a gift. Now I'm able to get out for a few hours. Sometimes it's Target & coffee. Lunch with my own dad.

I'm truly appreciative of the VA caregiver program & their services.

irene912

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/68184/how-do-you-get-through-your-day

Do little things for yourself. Eat something you love, quiet time with a book or soft music, spend time with a pet, take a walk. I love to read. Drink wine! Or, get on here & vent.

sandra2671

I really feel finding ways to not feel too defeated is the hardest part of this whole thing. I like having a nice hot cup of coffee, petting my dog, writing my feelings down, and anything creative helps me a lot. I am not a creative person but enjoy trying to be.

Rich Petersen

Nazai, I work from home and take care of my mom 24x7. Due to a unique situation, my wife has to live in another county until she retires at the end of this school year. So I am effectively by myself, and work from home.

I understand what you are feeling. I mentioned that I myself feel like an anvil in a blacksmith shop, constantly getting beat down by a hammer. It's hard.

I've learned to relish the times I take my dogs for walks, go to my woodshop to work on something, and especially the nighttime when my mom goes to sleep and I have a few hours of peace where I can read a book or simply go on the back deck and relax with my dogs. I've accepted that I'll rarely have a day off, and I'll never be able to have a vacation until my mom passes. So I've altered my thinking to really enjoy the few minutes I make for myself during the day.

My wife, when she comes up for the weekend, tries to take as much of a load off me as possible. But, I try to isolate my family from her "wrath" and let me be the bad guy. So to my mom, I'm the anti-Christ, but that allows me to somewhat insulate my wife and children, so I'm willing to accept it. So even when she is here, I will handle things when my mom has an "episode".

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that, as others have posted, try to carve out a few minutes here, or there, and know that what you are doing is precious. I know my father is looking down on me as my mother's parents are, and that the good Lord is as well. That is my source of strength, but I also try to take care of myself as well whenever possible.

MN774

Hi everyone,

I really appreciate the thoughts that all of you shared on how you get through your day. My dad is in LTC and 3,000 miles away, so I don't have the day-to-day care like some of you have shared in your responses, but still, there are days that are really hard and I struggle with thoughts of "how did we get here?" and "did we do the right thing by placing him in LTC?" and also, that I am so far away, I don't always know what his day-to-day is like. It makes me incredibly sad to see my dad going this route towards the end of his life, this is not how I imagined things would be or how want to remember him.

Thank you all for sharing how you get through - I am grateful that this community exists!