
I once heard someone say that courage is fear saying it’s prayers. I pondered those words and realized how true these words are. There were so many times, as a caregiver, when I was filled with fear , and closed my eyes and said a little prayer. What was I afraid of?
I was afraid of what I might find when I walked into the retirement home. Would I find my mother smiling and partaking in some activity or would I find her confused and in tears, wandering, looking frightened. Would I find Dad looking content and smiling and thanking his caregivers , or would he be silent and staring blankly at his lap. I was afraid of the bad days. I was afraid I could not keep my calm demeanour and smile , whenever I visited. I was afraid I was not up for the task, day in and day out. I was afraid of making the wrong decisions. I was afraid of ‘the end’ . I was afraid I could never live without them in my life. Caregiving is filled with days of fear, and those who are caregivers have more courage than they realize.
Life itself takes courage ….and loving takes courage. There are no guarantees in life. We do the very best we can for our loved ones and hope we make the right choices for them.
If you are a dementia caregiver, know that your are a hero. You have courage. 💜
How nice that you have kept your words of wisdom and support going through this website … A must read book for anyone experiencing the emotional stresses of caring for an aging loved.
Thank you Sharon ! ❤️
Hello. This post was really motivating, particularly since I was searching for thoughts on this issue last Tuesday. Wiley Petrea