The Caregiver Life

On July 16, 2004 Duane and I said, "In sickness and health, for better or worse..." and this summer I am holding him to every word of that apparently! My sweet, loving husband is my dedicated caregiver and while Duane thrives under pressure and a busy life I know that this surgery is really stretching his ability to balance everything.  In our life "everything" includes 2 kids, a 4 1/2 year old princess and a 21 month old little prince who are full of energy, our own business which is open 16 hours a day and has over 50 employees, household chores, and great family and friends.  Oh, if keeping up with all of that was as simple as just jotting it all down...

The role of a caregiver is indeed a thankless job, although, as patients we really do try to say "please", "thank you", and "I love you" as much as we can. It must be quite an adjustment to go from a wife who is perfectly capable and independent one day to a wife who can't even wipe her own bottom.  Note: I can wipe my own bottom... now :)  It is truly being at someones beck and call to the ump-teenth degree:  preparing meals/snacks, reminding me to take meds, wound care, bathing, "fix my pillow honey.. oh wait... put it back where it was... oh wait... it's too fluffy... now it's too flat... I'm sorry honey I just want to be comfortable!" AHHHH! I could go on and on and of course none of that includes care for our kids or house. And all the while Duane is doing all of this with a gentle smile and love in his heart!

Of course, I can't forget my other "caregiver": my sweet Emma! Who loves to "help" mommy whenever she can... or feels like it! She often refills my water, helps drain my tubes, and takes my temperature.  She is a good nurse but like any normal 4-year old likes to do things on her terms and oh how daddy loves that ;) But I must give credit where credit is due both kiddos have had a huge adjustment this summer by being tossed from friend to friend for play dates and from family member to family member for sleepovers.  And they have embraced it all with few meltdowns and good behavior.  I am proud of them!

My last set of caregivers are our fantastic friends and family who have come to our rescue during these last couple of weeks and in the weeks/months to come! We have never eaten so well in our lives thanks to SO MANY people who have signed up to bring meals.  I have never been so encouraged than by the MANY facebook posts, emails, get well cards, and text that I receive on a daily basis reminding me that they are praying and thinking about me and my family.  And as mentioned before my kids are probably having the best summer of their lives with all of the play dates that they are going on and all the grandma time they are getting in during this recovery process.

I hope I am able to repay or pay the kindness forward once I am up, back, and running!  I love you all, especially the most amazing man in the whole wide world, my favorite nurse and soul mate, Duane.