John & Romie

About John & Romie

Hi there. I’m not new to caregiving. One might even call me a serial caregiver. As in, I’ve given care to more than one person. A) I’m a registered nurse working in the field of child psychiatry. I’m not sure if that counts, but I thought I’d throw it in there! B) In 2009 my mother was diagnosed with a rare and progressively debilitating disorder called Multiple System Atrophy. She and my father moved in with me in 2013. Sadly, Mom passed away in January 2016. C) In July of the same year, my husband John was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer. If you ask him, he will tell you that if it hadn’t been for me nagging him to go for a check up, he never would’ve known. After his diagnosis, he became depressed and often isolated himself. He continues with hormone therapy but went through radiation for 2 months. Thankfully he is in remission from both illnesses. D) Baby Juliella was born via emergency c-section due to hypertension related issues. She spent some time in the NICU as she had a low birth weight. Thankfully she is doing very well. E) In November of 2017, my father was also diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer. He is also on hormone therapy and will undergo radiation next month.

Through my caregiving experiences, I’ve learned that A) the world does not revolve around me. B) When life gets hard, focus on the love I feel for the person I’m caring for, and appreciate the time I have with them. C) It’s okay to say that I need a break, and it’s up to me to take the time I need, D) the guilt of actually taking the time I need never really goes away (which is also the hardest part of caregiving, for me) but do it anyway. E) I’m stronger and more resilient than I thought, and can handle a lot more than I ever thought I could. F) Even though it’s tough, even though it’s stressful, even though it takes its toll, it’s AN HONOUR to care for someone, to be that someone that your loved one trusts at their most vulnerable moments. G) The biggest surprise of all, I learned that caregiving is a gift I give, not to the person I’m caring for, but to myself. Why? Through taking care of others, I’ve learned to appreciate my friends and family more, my time, my health, and all other blessings. What greater gift is that?

Share on: Facebook | Twitter
Read More | Submit your Story