Caregiver Tip

#9  Pity parties need to be short.
I try to be positive and look for the good through this process of taking care of Grandpa.  Most of the time I am able to see the good and feel the strength needed to do what is required as his caregiver.  But in all honesty I occasionally hit a wall and the pity party begins.  Recently in one of those moments the thought came to me--get over yourself!  I feel sad but I try to remember what it would be like if my mind was in constant turmoil.  What would it be like when you want to say something but the words can't come out.  How would you feel if you get up in the night to use the restroom and can't find your way back to bed without calling for help.  Even in my worst moments I am not close to the life that an Alzheimer patient lives.  At times like that I remember that my care-giving is much less stressful then what Grandpa has to deal with.

I wish I knew who said this.  We are not given a good life or a bad life.  We are given a life.  It's up to us to make it good or bad.  In life there will be peaks and valley's and ultimately we must decide what the end results will be by how we respond to them.