Tomb, India (photo by Michael J. Foley, flickr)
Sorry to have been MIA for so long. On January 9, I flew to Michigan to help my parents out because my mom, as I wrote about in an earlier posting, had a fractured hip. Fortunately, I made those plans because on January 10, she ended up at Emergency and then was admitted to the hospital, where I've been spending most of my time ever since. To keep up on the caregiving side of my life, you can visit my new blog, The Caregiver Chronicles.
Meanwhile, this is a good opportunity to think about self-care for those of you who are juggling PTSD or grief along with caregiving - whether that is for parents, children, or others. The key is listening to yourself and taking time for rest and respite. That can seem impossible at times; however, when people with PTSD add extra stress, it is essential to allow down time and to take care of yourself, as well as those you are caring for. I don't always take my own advice, but I try.
Mary Oliver has a great poem for that. Or you can turn to the words of Julian of Norwich.
All will be well and all manner of things will be well.
And as far as relaxing is concerned, I love morning bird song.
