As caregivers, we observe and hear all the time about our parents having worries. But what about the Caregiver's worries and fears that may or may not have come true?
For example, no one allowed inside the home, no in-home caregivers, handyman, or repairs allowed.
My own recent experience with needing help has showed me that my concerns were actually over-the-top!
The kitchen sink was so bad in my mind, that I was afraid to dig it out and really assess the problem. I imagined leaks, black mold growing, possible mice. The garbage disposal did leak, into a bucket, creating rusty water. My dH no longer able to make trustworthy repairs, and my worry preventing me from taking positive action.
The truth was more like it was really clean under there, no damage, clean wood, no pests whatsoever. We have a new sink, garbage disposal, and fawcett! It was free from the Senior Center Handiworker program. I swallowed my pride, filled out the fearsome paperwork, and here I am to remind other caregivers: Do not worry, do not fear!
Meeting these trustworthy people has changed my life!
What is worrying you today?
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You might find Robert Sapolsky's "Why Zebras don't get Ulcers" to be amusing. He's a nationally known researcher and I believe a professor, with a unique way of addressing very complicated medical and psychological issues.
I am glad that the sink situation is resolved, to your satisfaction and without the potential horrors. You're not alone. I was thinking the other day that the number of potentialities about which I fret and worry have increased dramatically in the last few years, concurrent with my father's decline.
Honestly, I don't even want to go into what's worrying me today - there are just too many to name! I'm trying to be more rational and create solutions, because worrying only increases my anxiety. If I focus on the positive, and assuming that I have limited brain capacity (!), then the negative is either balanced out or decreased.
But I do understand where you've been on this issue.
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My neighbor led by example, got the services, and encouraged me go do the same when the water heater b u r s t e d . Guess at that moment, my choices were limited. Even then, I tried to convince myself of the many unrealistic ways we could live without hot water. LOL, that took 2 extra weeks to work through!
I believe there is a therapy that takes a person through step-by-step "What is the worst thing that can happen?" Then asks: Then what, then if that happens, then what? Then what?
Similar to getting it out of your head, and on to a positive plan of action. Just plow through the fears and go ahead kind of thing. Stop procrastinating - do it anyway.
Baby steps for the worried.
Thank you so much for your comments, and the recommendation! You are exactly right when we need to become hypervigilant due to very real needs of our loved ones. I think that I will be enjoying Robert Sapolsky' s book entitled "BEHAVE".
And, now, I have started to worry that if I did have a crystal ball, it would be cracked.
Was not worried at all when dH and I had to leave town to pick up our loved one at the E.R. Except, the squirrel was not fed, and while we were gone for two days, there was a squirrel who robbed a local 7/11 of M&M' s peanuts! This really happened! Saw it on the news. Hoping it was NOT Ratatouille acting bad. But we are home now. Not worried.
My worry is that I've gotten so good at pushing my worries to the back of my head to deal with later that soon there will be no more room back there and they will all come pouring out of the front of my head all at once and I won't be able to keep up with them.
But seriously, my Mom's welfare was always my biggest concern and now that she is gone I have to start worrying about me again and I don't really want to do that but it looks like I might have to cause my last Doctor's visit has raised some worry flags for me. I may have no choice anymore. I may have to deal with the extra little spare tire around my middle and my insomnia which are causing health problems. I've got other worries too but I'll start slow and work my way up to them.
Thx for starting this thread Send.
Then, I forget what exactly I was so worried about, and I am left with worry about nothing'
Then, there are those well-meaning persons, some of them singing: "Don't worry, be happy!" OR, "NO WORRIES!"
Hope you brilliant people are enjoying this "Worries Gone Wild" thread.
I have enjoyed your comments.
Validation! It feels good when someone else has seen the same thing! I wasn't dreaming about seeing that s h o p l I f t e r.
Ms.Madge,
Should we put a time limit on the worries? How long can you worry at one time?
Holiday end,
Maybe, you could stay out of the left field? Thanks for your contribution. Procrastination does make worries worse.
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