Stress

I have been having a hard time the last couple of days. I have a need to understand why I feel so stressed. I know that this situation is stressful but having never been through it up close and personal, it is unbelievable draining. I found this quote on a website about a research study of caregivers.

To watch someone, particularly a parent, lose cognitive abilities so that they cannot do the 'thinking' tasks that they used to, is very hard on the caregiver emotionally—and often is actually more stressful than assisting with the more physically demanding tasks such as bathing or cleaning."


Ahhhh. I am not dealing with the everyday basic care needs. (except for clothes and snack shopping!!) But this help explains why this is so emotionally devastating. And it comes in waves, I can be moving along fine and then 3 pain phone calls in one week and I feel waylayed. Her memory is going, she cannot describe things anymore. Thus, conversations are more difficult. She called one of my girls, Joanie and I am learning to roll with it. Now George and I have to make the decisions for her about more and more things. And reading this little bit of research about stress of caregivers makes me feel better. Perhaps, I'm not losing it, this is what stress does.