We actually got to try this out earlier this week. I wasn’t thinking when I went in for two shots, a Covid booster and a shingles vaccine, on the same day. I am not sure which one, or maybe a combination of both, hit me but I was sick for 3 days. Not go to bed sick, but definitely unable to do much of anything sick as I struggled to care for myself, let alone my husband.

He was so sweet as he stepped up and tried to help me. The first thing he did when he realized I was under the weather, was to insist that I not try to do anything. Then he stopped asking for help and started just doing things. He managed our day to eliminate some of the challenges and it worked. I was also able to pull some leftovers out of our freezer, making meal prep easier and quicker as I worked to recover. (You can never be overly prepared for emergencies. I always keep a few days’ worth of leftovers in my freezer.)

Trading roles was a brief reminder of what life must feel like for him everyday. I wanted to be up doing my usual routines, I didn’t want to feel helpless and dependent, but there it was. Having no choice in the matter, it was good to know that there was someone close by to help me figure things out and reminded me of the importance of being kind and loving when providing care. After all, that’s what I will want in a good CarePartner when it is my turn.