During the last few weeks, I’ve been asked by caregivers (via this blog’s contact form) for help finding support for themselves in their local communities. I take these requests seriously. In fact, it would be impossible not to because the caregivers include information about their particular needs. Perhaps it’s empathy, or a sense that we’re [...]
Hello Cancer, Goodbye Marriage: A new study shows that men are more likely to ditch their sick spouses, should really be titled, “Hello Illness, Hello Marital Stress”. The authors, Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert, are reporting on an article in the November 2009 issue of Cancer, titled, “Gender disparity in the rate of partner abandonment [...]
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In the Health section of PhysOrg.com is an article titled, “How to … avoid burnout” Burnout – a state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion — leaves people feeling hopeless about the future. While the focus of the article is on workaholism, the tips from therapists on staying healthy in stressful environments are perfect for [...]
It is not unusual for caregivers to find themselves physically wiped out and without energy. MSNBC.com has a helpful article titled, “Moving in slo-mo? 10 ways to pick up your pace“. The ten suggestions in the article are easy to implement and, while they won’t make stress go away or reduce the amount you must [...]
I hope these first few paragraphs don’t sound like a whine. They’re not because I know a lot of people whose schedules are a lot rougher than mine. My wife’s relapsing-remitting MS is managed well and I have nothing to complain about. But I do want to use comments about my busyness lately to share [...]
Dr. Elliot Frohman, professor of neurology and ophthalmology, led a research experiment on people with multiple sclerosis that demonstrates that increases in heat increase the severity of an eye-movement disorder called internuclear opthalmoparesis (INO). “Eye test peers into heat-related multiple sclerosis symptoms” on the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center web site describes the experiment [...]
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Why don’t I exercise? Probably for the same reason many caregivers fail to exercise: it requires an investment of time and time is always in short supply. That sounds like a good excuse, but I know it’s not. I have no good excuse. I should buy a bike and hit the road. Maybe start running. Something.
It’s Sunday. In many cultures, this is a day of rest. Do you find it difficult to slow down and catch your breath? In the best of situations, finding time to relax can be difficult. However, even brief breaks help. This afternoon I bulk-loaded some Kodak Plus-X125 black and white film, grabbed my old Pentax [...]
It’s Sunday. (And time for an opinionated ramble …) I heard an older gentleman married a long time to his wife say, “She doesn’t have MS. We have MS.” On the other hand, I’ve also heard and read stories of men who told their wives, “I can’t handle this MS stuff. I’m out of here,” [...]
Use the FDA’s MedWatch for the Latest Drug Safety Information. If a medication you take requires additional warnings, you can learn about it on this web site of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. MedWatch is the FDA’s web site for reporting current medication safety information about drugs and medical products which are regulated by [...]
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It’s Sunday. How will you make it a “day of rest”? What does “rest” mean in your busy world? Does rest mean you had a good night’s sleep? Does it mean you slept long enough to wake up refreshed and without bags under your eyes? We usually think of rest in terms of our physical [...]
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You may feel like it sometimes, but being an MS caregiver does not endanger one’s sanity. In fact, as a caregiver, you probably have no more reason to worry about your sanity than any other person. I’ll explain why after I share a summary of a 2001 abstract I’ve just read titled, “Being a Multiple [...]
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A friend told me yesterday he had seen my wife in a local store and “she looked good.” I agreed, “Yes, she does look good!” I embarrassed him a little so he clarified it a bit, “I mean she looks like she’s getting along well.” Of course few see her when she’s not getting along [...]
I remember reading the cartoon book, “Good Grief, Charlie Brown”, when I was a child. The phrase, “good grief,” grabbed my attention. What did it mean? I knew grief was what one experienced when someone died. At the time I didn’t imagine that could be good. One lives long enough and learns that grief really [...]
No thinking adult truly expects life is fair. Most of us grow past that fantasy during adolescence. Even so, there lives deep in our hearts the desire that life be fair. And when it’s not, we ache for what “should” be. Unfortunately, if we focus so much on what “should be” we miss the joy [...]
Continue reading about Discovering the Joy in What Is Beats Aching for What Might have Been
A red indicator light appeared on the instrument panel. It said, “Oil”. I slowed down a little. I knew there was a gas station at the top of the hill and when the warning light lit up I thought, “I can make it to the top of the hill and get oil at the station.” [...]
Calling yourself a caregiver is good for you and makes you a better caregiver. The National Family Caregivers Association commissioned a study from The Caregivers Advisory Panel in 2001 to learn about the impact self-identifying oneself as a caregiver has on caregivers. Information about the study is on the NFCA web site at “NFCA’s 2001 [...]
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Caring for a person with Multiple Sclerosis is steady work. Because Multiple Sclerosis is a progressive neurological disease in which the effects of neurological damage accumulate over time, the work required of an MS Caregiver when a patient is first diagnosed is usually not as difficult or demanding as that required for an MS patient [...]
