I have severe Psoriatic arthritis,I inherited it from my uncle Doug who is now on daily dialysis because of the autoimmune effects of it. I am on the methotrexate and iv remicaid with solumederol prior to the remicaid. I work as a RN and take care of my mom alone since my sister died 3 years ago. How do caregivers cope with the constant pain and exhaustion..I just barely make it some days through a 12 hour shift then I come home and take care of my 80 year old mom with alzehemiers and dementia...my mom has a caregiver when I work ,,some days I can barely walk and I'm 54 years old not married no kids , just my kitty Fiona ...have any caregiver's health declined with Psoriatic arthritis while taking care of their parents? ...I give mom the best of care and I oversee all her meds and dr's appointments and she always goes to my hospital where I work so I can keep an eye on her care so even when I'm at work I'm working with her . I love my mom she was a wonderful mom to my brother ( who dosent help at all) and my sister who passed away 3 years ago ..I was very blessed with a great mom who was a nurse and she deserves the best ....I just wanted to know if your health has declined ? I sure miss my sister we both were nurses at the same Hosp and now it's lonely doing it all myself I have had a rough grieving 3 years of heck and missing her she was my rock ..anyway thank you in advance and any Psoriatic Arthritis tips when care giving is very helpful and thank you
When my LO was first diagnosed with dementia, I ran my own business and was trying to take care of her needs. It was a period of extreme stress and exhaustion. I lost over 25 pounds in a short time, had skin conditions, and was not able to sleep. I had dental problems, stomach problems and back problems. Her doctor said she needed AL and I agreed. You can only do so much. It took me a year to get my health back on track.
I'd try to address your own health needs. After my LO was placed, I was then able to go visit her and be the loving cousin that I wanted to be, because I was able to sleep and get rested. I actually began to look forward to seeing her as a healthier and happier cousin.
You are a nurse. You should be able to advocate for medical care.
Another suggestion - if you have PACE or a similar program in your area, or even adult Day Care, you might want to look into that. On your off (non-shirft) time, you could sleep, have respite, just have quiet time, and someone else would care for her.
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