No More Days Off: Becoming a Caregiver

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Oh.... the life of a caregiver!  My original work schedule was three days working mobile ultrasound and two days off during the week.  Then I started another part time job at the college working about 8-10 hours a week.  That left me with a day and a half off during the week.   Well..... those days off are now filled with taking care of mom, but doing it in such a way as to NOT make her feel less independent.  She is "visiting" with us for an extended period of time :)

The days that I am not at work I am running mom to doctor's appointments and believe me she has a bunch of them!  We visit MD Anderson so often that we are on a first name basis with the valet supervisor at the front door.  He greets both of us with a big hug!

Next week is our "vacation" that was suppose to take place in Las Vegas.  Husband and I are both off but we will be sticking close to home.  Mom has her daily infusions and of course a couple of doctor appointments.  We have managed to reschedule the great majority of them so that we are only at MD Anderson on day next week.

In lieu of a huge vacation we ( me, hubs, and mom) will take a brief trip to the coast for a couple of days. It will be far enough away to seem like a true break but not too far in case something changes with mom's health.   And there are tons of things we can do at the house that really need our attention too.  So, I guess you can call it a working vacation!

I am grateful that  my work schedule DOES allow for me to be there for my mom to assist her as she is recovering from her latest hospitalization.  If not, she would have had to go to assisted living for 6 to 8 weeks.  That would have been a total bummer for all of us.  She has been through so much already and I don't think she would have like that at all.  

I am also grateful for the time that we all get to spend together.  It is NOT a burden it is a BLESSING.  I know that mom is sick and I know what the outcome will be.  But, I am thankful for the time that we are able to re-connect as mother-daughter.  I am thankful that she is such a trooper and does not have pity parties.  I am thankful that I am part of her caregiver team.  And I am thankful for her positive outlook.   She always looks ahead, never behind her.

So, I really have no more days off to speak of, and looking back at my past employment history for the last couple of years I can see that God has provided me with the perfect job that allows me to be there for mom.   And I am okay with my current schedule.  I am blessed beyond words.

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