Welcome to today's post, I am taking part in a 31 day blog challenge where I post everyday in October. I love creating challenges for myself and joining ones by others. My challenge for the rest of the month is to reflect on some of the series I created for myself and inspiration that I have taken away.
Listen to the Podcast
Today I am going to be talking about Dementia and being a Carer. I did a series called A - Z of Dementia - A Carers Story
It is funny talking about a challenge within a challenge, but the A-Z Challenge that I did in 2012 was probably the first time I really thought about my situation as a carer and what it meant to me seeing my mother living with Dementia. I never thought about myself in the midst of it or considered how I felt, but knew I had a job to do and so set to doing it the best way I knew how.
There was no emotional manual, the dementia caught us off guard, there was no calling card and preparation, but one day things just seemed different, mum acting weird, not glaringly but saying things that made us wonder briefly, but we never twigged, just brushed it off not daring to thing that there may be something wrong.
I remember going up to her local chemist to buy something for mum and the pharmacist handed me a shopping bag that mum had forgotten in there Friday, it was now Tuesday and I looked into the bag I could see among the shopping a pint of milk that had now curdled. I wondered why he didn't put the milk in the fridge or even get in contact as they had her address.
In hindsight there were many people on the periphery who noted things, saw things that we were too close to see and never alerted the family and just watched things unfold as if watching a reality tv show and we were the unknowing participants.
It was hard to deal with. My son was around 5 at the time and when we would visit mum would say she wanted us to stay - she lived on her own, I didn't want leave her to but had to do the school run and go to work, I prayed that what ever was happening would just go away and mum would be safe. But it didn't go away and I started staying with her as she couldn't be left on her own. Mum lived about 45 minutes away from me. I think I felt several things, responsible and annoyed, part of me didn't want to take on the carers role. There were many inner casualties over the years as I tried to navigate being a carer and holding on to me.
I began writing and it was an outlet for me, I had so much to say about things that I learnt that it was good to get things down on paper and begin to process. What ever your situation is it is so important to find others that you can share your story with, as the inner stresses can lead to outward physical symptoms.
Doing the A - Z challenge help me put things down that I thought not only helped me but could help others as well not just in my local area but from around the world I spoke to people who were in similar situations.
G is for Guilt
Check out some of the posts and think about your own story and experience, how can you share it and be a blessing to others who may learn something from what you share.
I will continue sharing tomorrow, and would love you to come back and spend some time.
Are you or have you been a carer? What has your experience been like? Are you the sort who will ask for help or do you do it all yourself? We cannot carry the weight of the world ourselves and sometimes in your stepping out you have to ask for the help that you need.
J is for Judgement
Tomorrow I will share the second part from my carers story. I hope during this month you find some time to challenge the way you currently do things, be creative and stretch yourself.
Why not join me each day for the rest of October as we dive into to some exciting challenges and look at ways in which they can impact on your own life.
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, it is never too late to start! The main thing is to take one step at a time and do something that you find interesting.
Stay blessed and be a blessing.
Ps: There are some resources and links below I will be sharing more books that might be able to help.:
Adorn it - http://bit.ly/AdorAT18
Dollar Tree - http://bit.ly/DolAT18
Blick - http://bit.ly/Blick18
Book Outlet - http://bit.ly/BOOKAT18
Stampington - http://bit.ly/STAAT18
C& T Publishing
- http://bit.ly/CNTPAT18
Dover - http://bit.ly/DOVPAT18
Craftsy Kits - http://bit.ly/CrafAT18
Amazon Store - https://www.amazon.com/shop/realityarts
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