The Flip Side of Being a Caregiver While Still Mending

O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. Psalm 71:17-18 NKJV

My husband's back went out right after I had been released from physical therapy. I felt God's timing was so perfect. Although I wasn't totally well, I was told the muscles in my leg would develop more strength over time.

It was just a few days after I was released that his back acted up. We got him into the doctor's office who ordered an MRI and a back surgeon to read the results of the MRI. Well, when he did get to see the back surgeon, he wanted to take his own xrays and never actually read the MRI. He ordered some physical therapy for my husband.

This was really the flip side, because now, I was taking my husband to physical therapy when he had been taking me all those many months. I'm glad I was able to be a support to him.


Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.
By: Liz da Silva, Tapestryfdn via You Tube


The Flip Side-To Being Almost Well

Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. Psalm 96:7 NKJV

I couldn't wait for the time when I was well enough to start taking over household chores. My husband had done these things on his own all these many months and I wanted to help do my share. 


The funny thing is, once you start acting like you are better, people think you are, whether you are or not. I know that's a funny thing to say, but I was standing up doing a household project. Something else had to be done and something else, and yet something else. I ended up standing on my legs long after I knew they were aching, but all these things needed to be done and I seemed to be the only viable person, at the time.

People don't always really realize unless that it's their own recuperation, that you may be able to do things for awhile, but need to sit down and rest in between. They don't realize that your body might not be healed enough to complete all of a task, because you look and act like normal. I have to realize that looks are somewhat deceiving and that I can't be resentful to those who don't really understand that my body hasn't built up to have the same stamina to do normal activities that I used to be able to do. 


Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.




The Flip Side-Not Wanting People to Worry About Me

As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. Psalm 103:13 NKJV

After I broke my heel, most of the staff and some of the patients that we know at my Dad's Veteran's Home would seem concerned about the progress of my broken heel. They would ask about it intently every week when my husband would wheel me down to see my dad.

When I was using the walker, I remember trying to push myself harder to make it all the way down the hall, so they wouldn't worry so much. Maybe, God used this drive as extra incentive to trying hard to become more ambulatory.

When I could finally walk some, I hobbled my way down that hall, so they could see that they no longer had to worry about me. God is good and has been there every step of the way, even when I couldn't make any steps myself.

Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.
By: Riyadh K via You Tube


The Flip Side of Answering Questions About Progress

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth: The generation of the upright will be blessed. Psalm 112:1-2 NKJV

It's tricky when people ask you how you are doing when you've been injured or sick. Of course, they want you well and so do you. It's a real dilemma in whether you tell them the truth or you just say the stock thing,  "I'm fine."  

Well, I can say I've done both and there are positives and negatives to both. When I say I'm fine there is the positive of temporarily appeasing the person who's asked the question. The negative is that you've not been totally honest with the person who has asked you the question.

When you really tell the questioner how you're doing, there's the positive of being honest with them, but there's the down side. People who have pushed me for more details, leave me feeling that they genuinely want to know how my progress is going. When I told someone that's two steps forward and one step back, they turned to me and said, "Well, at least you can walk!" It gave me the impression that they thought I sounded like I was complaining, but I hadn't meant to be.

I had someone ask me how I was really doing. I told them that I am much better than I was, but that my legs freeze up when I don't use them for awhile and I have to use the cane when I get up in the night to use the restroom. After a few steps with the cane, I can usually hobble the rest of the way. They also freeze up when I've been sitting at the computer, watching TV or riding in a car too long. Usually, I don't need a cane with the last three, but have to stand there for a minute or two before starting to hobble. In a minute or two my gait returns more to normal. The person told me that they have health issues and they just ignore them. It made me feel like the person just thought I was just complaining and should tough it out. It's difficult, because I didn't feel like I had been complaining and was just giving them truthful information. I think some people just want to hear everything is O.K. which is fine, but then they shouldn't push for a more in-depth answer. I'll have to remember this when I ask others how they are doing after a long illness or injury.

I don't have the answer for all of this. The thing I most often say is, "I'm truly blessed. God makes me stronger every day." It's the truth, but some still push for more details. It's just tricky knowing how much to tell people, especially when you have something that's involved a long healing process. 

Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.
By: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) via You Tube


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