Lighter Side of Caregiving

These are just a few things that I find humorous in my life as a caregiver.  Some of them were not funny at the time, but they are now.  Gladys doesn’t remember my name, she calls me Nichole (my daughter’s name).

Three years ago when we downsized, Fred and I moved to a new community of town homes.  Most of our neighbors are young professionals.  Every day I see them walking their cute little babies and their dogs.  One group walking with a baby carriage, one group walking with a leash and then you have me and Fred walking our old lady in a wheelchair.

You know you’re a caregiver when you’re out and about and Depends fall out of your purse.  Can you spell embarrassing?

My younger daughter Anita, keeps Gladys on Sundays.  Before it became a problem to bring Gladys to church, Anita took her to church one Sunday but forgot the seat to her wheel chair.  The ushers tell me it was quite a site to see Anita walking with Gladys holding on for dear life.  She got her inside to the first chair she could find.

Anita comes over occasionally on Saturdays to give me a break.  Gladys can be quiet and content all day long but as soon as Anita leaves she hollers NICHOLE.

Gladys and my husband, Fred, have a disagreement at least one a week about her orthopedic shoes.  I asked her why does she keep fussing about those shoes and she said, “those are old lady shoes.”  I said, you’re 82 years old. You are an old lady.”

Gladys can’t remember what I told her five minutes ago but she won’t go out of the house without her chewing gum.

I’ve known Gladys all of my life (literally) but she doesn’t remember my name.  She never met Stevie Wonder but she remembers his name.

Gladys will fuss if she thinks we have her stand too long, but she will stop dead in her tracks and wait until the cat decides to get up and out of her path to the bathroom.

On Saturday mornings I get up about six o’clock, go downstairs very quietly, turn on the big screen tv just loud enough to hear.  I turn on Turner Classic Movies and watch old movies until about 11:00.  As long as Gladys doesn’t hear anyone, we don’t hear a peep out of her.  But as soon as she hears the slightest movement – NICHOLE! Did I mention she has bionic hearing?

I think laughter is great medicine for keeping your sanity.  Sometimes my sense of humor is a little off-beat, but it keeps me from becoming bitter or depressed, I can find humor in almost anything.

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