Nasty Little Whispers and the Truths Caregivers Can Use to Silence Them
Nasty little whispers had a way of burrowing into my thoughts while my husband and I cared for our very sick baby in the early 1980s. Those whispers, also known as lies, set up camp in my head, and drained me of the joy and purpose that keeps a caregiver going. Combatting those lies was nearly as big a struggle as keeping our son alive during the first 4 years of his life. Frankly, the nasty little whispers often beat me down battles during my days as a sleep-deprived, isolated, anxious young mom.
Our very sick baby is now a healthy man, and I have time to minister to caregivers. We connect rapidly and profoundly because despite our differing circumstances, we have much in common, including those nasty little whispers. As we talk, I often share 3 truths to silence 3 very common lies.
Lie #1: This Caregiving Season Is Forever
My father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as a young man, when my siblings and I were very young. Our mother was his primary caregiver for 38 years, but we kids were part of his caregiving team throughout our childhoods and into young adulthood. More than once, we nearly bought into the lie that we would care for Dad forever.
Truth #1: This Caregiving Season Is Not Forever
Dad’s death dispelled the lie. Mom was 67, my sister, myself, and my brother were 44, 41, and 38. Suddenly, the forever of caregiving ended, and we had to move on. Caregivers who know this season will end–when their loved one recovers, when others share the caregiving duties, or with the death of the loved one or the caregiver–are more likely to handle this difficult transition in a healthy manner.
To read the rest of this post visit Heather Johnson’s website, True Life with God.
Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.
By Jolene
Jolene Philo is a published author, speaker, wife, and mother of a son with special needs.
Subscribe for Updates from Jolene
Related Posts
Creating Unique, Disability-Friendly Christmas Traditions
Guest blogger Kristin Faith Evans explains her methods for creating disability friendly Christmas traditions.
Surrendering our Children with Disabilities to God
Guest blogger Kelly Simpson explains how surrendering our children with disabilities to God can bring peace and comfort.
Therapy is Not a Child’s Love Language.
Guest blogger Heather Braucher explains how she learned that therapy is not a child’s love language, even if it is a necessity.
0 Comments