My dad had brain surgery which backfired. He went in the hospital with fluid on the brain, from an old war injury. He came out of surgery with solid dementia and "lived" another ten years. I spent the whole time trying to give him some sort of life. My mother declined very slowly, eventually suffering from dementia in addition to her physical pain. All of this time, I was grieving their decline. But I never stopped to think about that...or to remember to treat myself as kindly as I would have treated a grieving friend.

I hope all of you caregivers take time to recognize your grief and take care of yourselves. God bless you all. This looks like a wonderful forum.

[ January 20, 2006, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: Carol Bradley Bursack ]