As my husband’s symptoms progress and his care needs increase, my time is slowly being taken over by what I need to do for him instead of what I want to do for me. The uninterrupted hour of computer time that I used to have in the mornings while he was showering and getting himself dressed is gone. I still get to sit at my desk for a while, but it is broken up as he needs help drying after his shower, he needs help with shoes and socks and, based on the day, he may need additional assistance.

That daily hour was when I would write in my journal and work on this blog, but it becomes difficult when I am constantly getting up and down. I catch myself skipping days or rushing through simply to get it done. I notice that I have a different attitude on those days when I don’t take the opportunity to sort out my thoughts. I am finally figuring out that my “want to”, that desire to write, is really a “need to” for me. It may not be possible for me to have that uninterrupted hour in the mornings, but somewhere in my day I must find a space and a time to do this.

I think we all, as CarePartners, have those activities that sustain us and it’s important to practice them on a regular basis. In our house it may mean that I put off that load of laundry or cut back on meal prep time, giving up on something else to see that my need to write is met in a positive and regular manner. Caring for me means that I am caring for my husband to the best of my abilities, and that always has to be my top priority.