| "body"> | | | | not you aren't free and clear from the impact of |
| Ever notice that we are a culture that is always in | | | | the illness. There is something called "vicarious |
| a hurry? Think of the driver on the freeway who | | | | trauma" where the impact for caregivers who are |
| rushes past you only to be stopped ahead by the | | | | witnessing the illness process imprints on your |
| same traffic light you're stopped by. We rush to | | | | own heart and soul. Understand that you are in |
| get to places thinking that if we get there first | | | | essence a co-patient. The only difference is the |
| we'll win a prize. The truth is that when facing an | | | | actual patient is having treatment to alleviate their |
| illness there is a lot of waiting that goes on for | | | | trauma and you, the caregiver, sit in waiting for |
| both the patient and the caregiver. | | | | the person to get well. |
| One of the most difficult aspects of caregiving is | | | | Find ways to release the energy that is impacting |
| the wait. You wait in doctor's offices and hospital | | | | your own experience of the illness. If you haven't |
| waiting rooms. You wait a set number of hours | | | | had a physical exam in a while this is a great thing |
| before administering medication. You wait, hope | | | | to do, right now! Knowing your own health status |
| and even pray that the person you're caring for | | | | allows you to have someone looking out for your |
| bounces back from their illness. It's a waiting | | | | own well-being. It sets a baseline so that as your |
| game and that uncertainty is unnerving. | | | | caregiving responsibilities move forward your |
| It helps if you can use the waiting time wisely. | | | | health isn't compromised. |
| First, find some way to reduce your level of | | | | Caregiving is strenuous physically, emotionally and |
| anxiety while in waiting mode. You may choose to | | | | spiritually. Don't wait for things to happen, make |
| meditate, or knit or journal while waiting. It's not | | | | things happen. If you need resources research |
| about distraction, although that may be an | | | | them so you don't feel alone. Work toward |
| outcome, but sitting and releasing the anxiety that | | | | self-empowerment so you don't put your life on |
| comes with waiting is important for your mental | | | | hold yet waiting once again. Find out from other |
| health. | | | | caregivers how they survived this journey. This is |
| While waiting take the time to acknowledge the | | | | not time to re-invent the wheel, a trail has already |
| impact the illness is having on you. Believe it or | | | | been blazed. |