It happened again. Someone who isn’t living my life decided I had the time to take on more of my  husband’s care. And so, I have become his speech pathologist. It is only supposed to be for the next month, but I know that if he wants to retain what he is learning he will be asked to continue his daily practices forever. I wish they had spoken with me instead of just telling him that I could do it. Oh yeah, and some training for the part I am expected to play would have been nice. I was the one who initially contacted the program, perhaps they could have shared what they would need from me then?

I love it when the professionals working with my husband decide he needs something new and that I am the one who should provide it. There was the Physical Therapist who designed a daily workout and then told him that I wouldn’t mind helping him with it. The same PT told him that if I would massage his legs every night before bed, it would help eliminate his leg cramps. Another task that got added to my day.

It isn’t that I don’t want to help my husband nor that I begrudge him these things I am being asked to do. My problem is that the professionals don’t consider that maybe they should consult with me first to make sure I have the time and capacity to add on more. They see us as a team, which is good, but they don’t have a clue what my part in that team already entails. They don’t know that I have a full schedule of tasks in caring for my husband and our home, they only see their piece of his treatment and that “it’s only 20 minutes a day.” Perhaps the next time it happens I should turn to them and ask which of my tasks they’re willing to take over? If they can come by and cook our dinner, I’ll have plenty of time to take on more of his care. Just saying….