Hello. I am caregiver to my husband. We moved here to the high desert of Oregon 2 yrs ago. At that time he was already disabled from a very bad back injury but could still care for hisself and get around and work around the property. We built a very big yard area together and we were very happy. That winter he seemed to start failing on me. He just sat around watching tv and napping. By summer he slept 85% of the time then he satrted falling and stumbling. Finally got him to go to ER one day and it turned out that his brain was bleeding. He had surgery and was in hosp. for a month. Then a month of outpatient rehab. Well he has never got back to his old self and has had 2 more emergency surgeries since then and he just had cataract surgery and has another to go. He is diabetic and takes a boat load of meds and he is also being evaluated for sleep apnea. So now I find myself having to do all the work around here by myself - housework and yard work and taking care of hubby and 3 dogs and the finances which are real hard because I can't go to work anymore. And all the while I feel like I live alone because he still sleeps most of the time. I look into the future and I don't like what I see. This was not how we planned our retirement would be.:ohwell:

I find the hardest thing is that I miss doing things together. We were always best friends and did everything together. Whatever project and now it's just me. I try to share what I'm doing with Phil but every time I turn around he's asleep. Then I find myself looking for comfort food.

Hi! I have been a caregiver for members of my family. I started at nine years old and have been doing it for other people and their kids, the elderly in a nursing home,and mentally disabled children from age 8 months to upper teens. Have been in the nursing profession going on over 20 yrs. and have been a caregiver to my mother for the past 25 years. This has been my past,present and future! Mind you I love my mother and would do anything for her to make her older years as stressless as possible. Have any of you ever felt you just wanted to run away? Signed smiheart

I'm glad to be able to get to know all of you as well.
My husband also suffers from chronic back pain as well as other ailments and also spends a lot of time sleeping. He is, however, still able to help out with the gardens when he has good days. It can be frustrating when there is so much work to do around the house and yard and the help is minimal but working in the gardens myself helps to relieve some of the stress. Also, I have a dog who loves to go for long walks; we have a beautiful wooded area and the small creek fills up with water after large rains and she loves to run in the water. This makes her very happy and always makes me smile.
It's important to take time for ourselves, a little time to forget about our caregiving and stresses.
My friend with cancer also has 2 dogs and when she has good days, comes for the walks as well. I always feel like I'm nagging her about her meds and drinking water, so dog walking gives us a chance to forget about everything for a little while and enjoy the dogs and sunshine.
I hope that you all can take some times for yourselves and enjoy something that takes your minds off of your daily toils.

Hi Everyone,

I am very excited that i have found a caregivers support group. I currently take care of my husband. He is on home dialysis 4-5 times a week. We have been married 11 yrs and I have been through about 20 surgeries/procedures with him. Two Major ones and the rest minor. He has only one kidney and in the wrong place. He needed to loose 15 lbs and than they would put him on the transplant list, he currently has lost 25 and will not call until he has lost all the weight required for the transplant. There is also the penitential of taking care of my dad as he needs a kidney too and is going through the process of getting onto home dialysis. I am also recovering from a broken ankle. Two years ago I was doing really well and felt great, i had been going to i curves and had lost a lot of weight. I stepped off of a rock and twisted and sprained my ankle. After my ankle fractures healed i was still having problems and found out I broke the cartilage in my ankle.I basically have a hole in my ankle bone where you put 80% of your weight when you walk. Cartilage is very hard to grow back, you are born with the amount you will need for the rest of your life. I am too young to have my ankle replaced or for them to fuse my ankle, they could go in and do a bone plug. the risks out weight the benefits. They would end up doing more damage than good. They tell me if i lose weight it would be not so painful. I am struggling with this.

I have been overweight all my life. I have been successful twice in loosing weight. I never maintained it. I am a stress,bored, because its there eater. I have finally figured out when i am doing these things an try to make myself drink water. Doesn't always work. I love MFP it keeps me honest and i can see what i am eating and where i have gone wrong. Hoping to get back on the right track and put me first.

Kim

I like to make quilts but haven't in a long time. Maybe I'll be able to get back into it this winter.

I just joined yesterday. I havent started my diet yet just preparing for start time tomorrow. I am a caregiver for my Dad. I live with him every other week and I have been doing this for four years. I gained 25 pounds since I started and then another 15 when I quit smoking 4 months ago. I retired early from teaching to do this and it is the hardest thing I believe I have ever done. Now I am getting pretty disgusted with myself for putting on so much weight. I am ready to "give" it all I have.

Welcome Ispmom.

For me a hard lesson to learn (still learning...) is to be able to just sometimes put my needs first. I have realised that I cannot take care of my mom if I am not mentally and physically strong. But it is hard to say: I cannot, or time out, or the worst one for me: help!

Hi, I'm new to MFP. I am caregiver for my 43 yr old husband who was just diagnosed in June with brain cancer. I really need something to focus on myself and do something good for myself, I've got about 30 lbs to lose.