Thank you for your letter, Carolyn. For me, 2020 was a huge year, but not because of the pandemic. Dad passed the first week of January. We had the funeral, we pivoted hard a fortnight later, to Mum's first surgery—grief, probate, cancer, surgery, recovery, surgery, recovery, chemo, radiotherapy. So, in my case, I learnt that it's ok to double down on our needs first. I knew I was strong, but I couldn't have predicted or seen how I got through it all that year—the physical and mental rollercoaster of it all.
Thank you, Carolyn, for such a positive perspective on your caregiving experience.
It sounded scary and exhausting over a two year period, but you managed to bring an optimistic energy that has me wondering what gifts I have received from caring for my mom. There are so many but writing about it will be a good reminder to look at those 'blessings in disguise.'
From the pandemic, I learned that I cherish the simpler aspects of life and treasure quiet moments with my family.
A great theme, talking about blessings in disguise! Thank you for sharing, Carolyn. For me, the pandemic tested my loyalty to my job in the face of a sick husband. He was very clinically vulnerable having just recovered from neutropenic sepsis from radical chemoradiation. I had been off work to care for him but then returned to my job as a GP and with the arrival of the virus and all the new guidelines, I was totally torn - how to be there for my patients without risking bringing the virus home to my vulnerable husband. His oncologist advised me to work remotely until he was 12 weeks post chemo, so that’s what I did. In doing so I was racked with guilt, and it took time, and therapy, to realise that putting my family first had been the right decision. I kept him safe and he’s still here. So the pandemic helped me to realise that even if your job is a vocation, when loved ones are at risk, you have to put boundaries in place.
Thank you for your letter, Carolyn. For me, 2020 was a huge year, but not because of the pandemic. Dad passed the first week of January. We had the funeral, we pivoted hard a fortnight later, to Mum's first surgery—grief, probate, cancer, surgery, recovery, surgery, recovery, chemo, radiotherapy. So, in my case, I learnt that it's ok to double down on our needs first. I knew I was strong, but I couldn't have predicted or seen how I got through it all that year—the physical and mental rollercoaster of it all.
Thank you, Carolyn, for such a positive perspective on your caregiving experience.
It sounded scary and exhausting over a two year period, but you managed to bring an optimistic energy that has me wondering what gifts I have received from caring for my mom. There are so many but writing about it will be a good reminder to look at those 'blessings in disguise.'
From the pandemic, I learned that I cherish the simpler aspects of life and treasure quiet moments with my family.
A great theme, talking about blessings in disguise! Thank you for sharing, Carolyn. For me, the pandemic tested my loyalty to my job in the face of a sick husband. He was very clinically vulnerable having just recovered from neutropenic sepsis from radical chemoradiation. I had been off work to care for him but then returned to my job as a GP and with the arrival of the virus and all the new guidelines, I was totally torn - how to be there for my patients without risking bringing the virus home to my vulnerable husband. His oncologist advised me to work remotely until he was 12 weeks post chemo, so that’s what I did. In doing so I was racked with guilt, and it took time, and therapy, to realise that putting my family first had been the right decision. I kept him safe and he’s still here. So the pandemic helped me to realise that even if your job is a vocation, when loved ones are at risk, you have to put boundaries in place.