Today was going ok til about 3pm, I'd only had to wear nurse hat, housewife hat, secretary hat, then from 3pm, the Hoover caught fire, so I thought I'd put my tailors hat on and do some alterations, the sewing machine played up, 2 drawers came off their runners so I needed my DIY hat, then I had some ironing to do and the iron gave up the ghost so I needed my electricians hat. Then of course there was the cooks hat ...,anyway i spared a thought for the male carers here, I've always been fairly competent with DIY etc, but do find tackling the more difficult tasks a bit daunting, but you guys who have given up work to be full time carers, well, you seem to take it all in your stride, the cooking ironing, nursing etc and you don't rant like us girls(well me anyway)
Xxx
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Debbieann
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I'm sorry that all your things are going kaput at the same time. It takes me back to when i was a single parent my dad bought me the best book anyone can own. It was a readers digest book of diy. With the help of that book i managed to become a plumber an electrician and an all round self sufficient person.
Debbieann, you are unreal, all that in one day!!!! I congratulate you and everyone on this site who find themselves outside their comfort zones but go beyond it for their loved ones. Lots of love, Nanny857 xx
Well that was your three things, life should get back on an even keel now!!!!
Not sure who has the easiest time caring, male or female. Pink jobs seem more natural to us females, where as the blue jobs are dirty, heavy and if you're me, painful! Sorry girls, I know it's meant to be a secret, but I think Pink jobs are easier to learn, where as blue's need skill and brawn, which I certainly haven't got.
But let's be honest, none of us have it easy, although females are meant to be better at multi tasking, so maybe we have it!!! (Sorry guys, couldnt resist!)
I find it incredibly difficult(caring) I think if roles were reversed we wouldn't even be muddling through, he can't even boil an egg, so we would both die of malnutrition before anything else!! And we'd have no clean clothes and there'd be no food in the cupboards even if he could cook.... And it would take at least 15 minutes sussing out how to get the wheelchair in the boot of the car!!
Yeah, I would have been put in a home and key thrown away at the very first signs. Far to many mountains left in the world to climb, to be sitting around, discussing with you lot, what type of pads would be best for me. That ones obvious, the cheapest! Food, that would be takeaway, after he came home from the pub. Non communication, he would think he had died and gone to heaven!!., Yes, my dear sweet husband would have had this PSP put in its place, within the first five minutes and me in the first available home by the sixth!
And I don't wear hats at all - I go for the full clothing thing... Believe me I am scary in a Nurses Uniform an in my Chefs kit I put Monty Python to shame... I'm best in plain blue overalls... scrubbing floors and emptying bins and commodes.
OK, sorry - You had a perfect shit day... Wish you a better one tomorrow.
I have no problem with doing various tasks as long as they happen separately. It's multitasking that gets me: looking after M, while changing sheets, setting up the washing machine, checking why the electricity tripping and trying to contact the GP/DN/OT/Carers, caused me most stress. Also I am very good at ignoring tasks that are not essential without too much angst.
Hi Tim, I learnt many years ago, "why do today that, which will need re-doing tomorrow!" That ought to be in the Carers manual, right up at the top.
So yes, I am very good at ignoring non essential jobs. The only problem is, when I am feeling down and totally shattered, like now, these jobs start screaming at me to do, suddenly, all I can see is mounds of clutter to be put away, post that I haven't bothered opening, clothes that the Carers have ironed for me, to be hung up, you name it! That starts the vicious downward spiral to despair. The only consulation, is today, as I have reached rock bottom and starting very slowly, to climb back out of this dark hole, hopefully, some of these things will be done.
Debbie be proud that you are juggling all of those plates in the air, takes some doing doesn't it. I put a curtain pole up the other month and it is a bit lopsided, drives me mad every time I look at it but it will have to stay where it is. Did a bit of hedge cutting with the electric cutter and almost went through the cable. Have cut ironing to the very very minimum and afraid the house isn't as clean as it used to be. Cooking is a much simpler procedure these days but I'm not beating myself up as in the end it's not that important is it? I find overseeing alterations quite stressful so will be glad when the wet room/ garage conversion is sorted. My sewing machine was put to bed over a year ago as I find I can't concentrate or enjoy sewing anymore. I think we should all be on the New Years Honours list for our contribution, see you at Bucks Palace 2017 then.
Showing my age -youngsters like you wouldn't know!
Oh my. We all have these days. I can't believe the things I handle now that my husband always did....even putting gas in the car or picking up- the mail.....simple things like that! But I have learned to do mechanical things, too. I'm fixing things al the time. A few years ago I would have said "I can't do that" to half the stuff. Amazing what you can do when you have to. But truth be told, some days I just walk away and say, "the heck with it"! Tomorrows another day. We do it all for our dear ones and they would do it for us.
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