Do you ever think about the things you wish you knew in the past? In this post, I’m sharing about 5 things I wish I knew about the caring journey.
When we first started talking about “writing a book” to share our experiences we talked a lot about what we wanted the book to do, why were we doing this and what was the real purpose behind putting our story out there.
The simplest way I can explain it is that at each and every step of the way I remember one of us saying “I wish I would have known that” or “I wish somebody would have told us”.
So what is I wish I knew?
I started writing this thinking that it would be hard to come up with 5 things but you know what the hardest thing is having a top 5.
Ok let’s give it a go and see if you can resonate with my top 5.
My top 5 things I wish I knew…
5. Know your loved ones business – their medical needs, their financial needs, their care needs and who is providing what. No surprises, we had several big surprises and it sent us all into tail spins.
4. Remember the reason you are doing this and what is the alternative. If you don’t look after your loved one who will. But more importantly remember your loved one is going through a tough time too and everything is different for them –everything and they are grieving.
3. Knowing Dad’s background on his medical condition when we were in emergency as he was having a heart attack. Had he had heart problems, was there any major health issues and when.
2. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be perfect for you. Each situation is different and each person within the family looks at things differently. No blame, no right and no wrong. It just is.
1. You don’t have to do it all. It is tough being the “sandwich” generation and you don’t have to do it all. You are enough and you need to care for yourself.
I wonder if my sister thinks the same. This is a very important to remember each of us have our own top 5 issues and they may (will) be different.
I really wish somebody had told me that it was ok –
That I was enough.
That everything happens for a reason.
That it will be ok.
You Matter to us!
