Rainbows and Black Unicorns

Tag: carers

  • Still the anger persists.

    I guess I won’t stop feeling it until it gets resolved. Haven’t figured that out yet. Maybe I should just move away. Amy still hasn’t heard from the magic surgeon but she’s been relentless about calling and asking where she’s at. It appears the referral has been made and now waiting for it to be…

  • Anger as an entity

    I might have learnt something about anger this week. If anger is an object what does it look like? Mine is male (sorry, nothing personal), it’s very large, very hairy, controlling, frightening and aggressive. Basically, a monster. What I realized is that monster can be tamed. I can banish it beyond my walls. I can…

  • So about that burn out

    Brain fog, low energy, can’t make decisions, can’t handle any stress, avoiding all social situations and lack of hope are all showing me that I’m beyond stressed and have moved into severe burnout. Sad but true. It doesn’t matter how many articles I read, how much talk therapy I get I’m still burnt out. I…

  • Another caregiver burn out article

    I think it’s safe to say I am officially burnt out. Burnt out combined with radiation fatigue has created a mess of a human. More on that later. Here’s what burn out looks like. Please be careful. What is caregiver burnout?  While taking care of someone you love can have tremendous rewards, it can also…

  • What is caregiver burnout?

    Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that can happen when you dedicate time and energy to manage the health and safety of someone else. Caregivers who experience burnout may feel tired, stressed, withdrawn, anxious and depressed. Caregiver burnout can impact a person in various ways, including physically, psychologically, financially and…

  • Caregivers are hidden victims

    There is certainly a new awareness in our communities about caregivers. Recently there was an advertisement on the internet promoting greeting cards to send to caregivers and the front of one card read: “Caregivers are often the casualties, the hidden victims. No one sees the sacrifices they make.” Much like other social issues that have come to…

  • Caregiver Stress Syndrome

    by Ron Ingber, JD What is Caregiver Stress Syndrome? Caregiver stress syndrome is a condition characterized by physical, mental and emotional exhaustion. It typically results from a person neglecting their own physical and emotional health because they are focused on caring for an ill, injured or disabled loved one. There are a number of factors that…

  • How caregiving can lead to PTSD

    PTSD doesn’t just happen to people who have experienced a major life-threatening event. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can occur after any traumatic event or experience. It may surprise you to discover that providing care for a loved one is one of the main causes of PTSD. Yet, the condition often goes undetected, and thus untreated, as…

  • Accepting the Ambivalence of Caregiving

    One of the common challenges that caregivers face is learning to accept the ambivalent or contradictory feelings of caregiving. Ambivalence can look like feeling both a deep love and resentment towards the person you care for. Ambivalence can also look like finding joy in caregiving while also grieving your life before becoming a caregiver. In…

  • My cancer journey

    Mid March I had a lumpectomy. That was ok. Not really a big deal. I’m still recovering but it’s all good. Radiation is put off for a few months which I’m ok with. The problem was the skin cancer on my back. While doing the breast surgery the surgeon so fixed up the margins where…