Happy New Year
Dear Spouse and Caregiver,
The last year and a half have been challenging but also a time of growth. The pain, sadness and loss were all around me and yet God provided an outlet for me, my upcoming book, and this website. Like me, a caregiver, your life changes daily and you need to adapt. Being able to adapt is the key to survival but I no longer want to only survive but to be able to find joy in our new life together.
What I have learned is that it is important to reconnect and to be able to share your journey. When we share, we can let go of the pain and find ways to see the joy around us.
As the calendar changed from 2022 to 2023, I needed to dig deep to determine the type of life and year Rick and I would have. As I sat before God and opened my heart. I realized that I need to take care of me so that I can care for others. We decided, we no longer wanted to observe life but to live it.
As I challenge myself, I also challenge you…
· Pick a word that will define your approach to life this year. I chose the word GRATITUDE. To be able to look at each challenge, event, or setback with appreciation that I can be there for that person versus needing the care myself. This is not an easy task.
· Change your mindset. Before and while I am working on being grateful I needed to look back at the post stroke phase of life and the life changes that I can now appreciate.
To love my spouse in a much deeper way. When I thought he would die, I replayed all that I would miss. The laughter, the banter, the private jokes, and his quirks.
Being able to retire. I had prayed for decrease stress and to have more time for family and friends. I had always worked, and it was scary to think of not working. Even though my retirement was not planned, my prayer was answered. I was able to help my family, spend more time with friends and have the time to focus on Rick without being pulled away by work.
Impact the lives of others. This has always been a calling for me. But I never had the time or felt that I had an impactable moment to share. The crisis made me again dig deep on how to handle life changes, how to use my nursing knowledge, how to use my faith and to share so others could benefit. Hence, the upcoming book and website.
Together, you and I will navigate this new year successfully. Of course, we will have bad days and want to give up but I beg you to stop and look at the situation with gratitude. The gratitude maybe as simple as “ this day is terrible but I can share with a friend”
Stroke and the Spouse – Season of Change Update:
The book is currently under review by a group of readers to determine if it flows, does it meet the goal to help others, what could be added and overall recommendations. Once I have that feedback, I will edit.
The goal is to have it available this summer.
Love from spouse to spouse