All I can say is I am in awe of how people can be caregivers.

Tattoochick, I too am in awe how people can be hands-on in the home caregivers around the clock for months or years at a time. I had to admit to myself very early on that I was not cut out to be caregiver and it wouldn't be fair to my parents if I had taken that role.

I always had a lot of patience but I was losing patience with just helping around my parent's house [parents in their 90's] with taking them to the doctor [it was a chore just trying to get them into the car]..... going grocery shopping [I'd be in aisle 26 while my parents were only in aisle 5]..... going to Target or Walmart [trying to find both parents who each went their separate way in the store]...... Dad insisting that he needs the driveway shoveled in case there was a emergency and he needed to get his car out [hello, firemen have shovels if there was an emergency]......

And yes, all the "what ifs".... I use to go into sheer panic any time I saw my parent's phone number on my Caller ID.... hope Dad didn't fall again. Gee, wonder why I am so stressed out !!! Yes, the mind racing, hard to get a good night sleep with that happening on a regular basis.

My Mom had passed and Dad is now in Assisted Living, and I still panic whenever I hear the telephone ring. Seven years of trying to help my parents who had refused caregivers and cleaning crews took a major toll on me health wise.... [sigh].

I am staying sane by having in home aides coming 6 days a week. I am grateful to the insurance company that is proving the benefits that allow this to happen without costing my parents. (Of course they paid for this policy for 26 years!)

I am the "sole" caregiver only 15 hours a day (over night). So, this is such a HUGE thing and keeps everything stable. (Provided we are all getting a good nights' sleep most of the time).

Perfect explanation, Jessebelle!
When I am hiding in my room, I am so tough that I don't need a helmet!
Roars with laughter.

I need one of those helmets.

For many of us, our strength lies with the Lord. For others of us, our strength is within ourselves. For the rest of us, our strength is the helmet we wear when we bump our heads on the wall. :-)