Duskypearls
Posts: 3561
Joined: 8/21/2011 Status: offline
|
Wow, MissD, that's got to be incredibly hard. Having been a personal care provider to probably 12 people with anywhere from mid-level to severe dementia/Alzheimer's, I know exactly how hard and frustrating that can be. I cannot imagine having to deal with it with an immediate family member. For those of us who have been nearly rabidly independent, the act of accepting help, or learning to ask for it, when compromised, can seem quite daunting at first. Some may even feel/think that needing to is paramount to having a stain upon one's character, not so much in how we think others see us, but in how we see ourselves. I suspect some see it as a character flaw. Excessive independence is not much unlike excessive pride, as it can rob us, and others, of the opportunity to lovingly and freely, without guilt or shame, give and receive, which is one of the most magnificent, interactive gifts that can occur between two parties. For me, during last year's ankle fusion recovery, it was even a challenge for me to ask one neighbor to bring my mail in from the mailbox once (about 20 yards from my door), and to ask another to refill my pain meds once at the pharmacy. While it can feel a bit humbling and uncomfortable at first, it can truly be one of the most generous things one can give others, who truly only want to help, if we but let them. Give the gift of love to yourself and others...let others help you.
< Message edited by Duskypearls -- 7/2/2013 7:25:14 AM >
|