Originally Posted By: CrosstitchQueen
I know about having to care for others. My husband is a quadraplegic. My mother is 87 and lives 30 minutes away. I have two dogs that think I'm Mom.
A good friend of mine recently lost her quadraplegic husband after 20+ years of marriage. She did EVERYTHING for him.........got him up,showered, dressed, cut up his food, put him into his wheelchair, combed his hair, you name it. They had a very loving relationship, it was obvious they adored each other, but now he's gone, and the adjustment she is going thru to the change in her life is major. She devoted so much of her time to his wants and needs that she doesn't know how to put herself first anymore. She told me the other day that it felt so strange to be able to get up, showered, dressed and out of the house in 45 minutes. It's hard enough to deal with the loss of a loved one but I think it's even harder when you've devoted all your time to caring for them and have to rediscover a life of your own.


Cross-stitch, I worked for 3 years in one of Canada's biggest rehabilitation hospitals devoted exclusively to care of spinal cord injured adult patients.

Hospital treats both paraplegics and quadriplegics.

I was a medical librarian at that (much) earlier time in my career. We also had professional psychiatrist, social workers on staff as part of the patient care teams, to handle pyscho-social problems experienced by the patient and their immediate family members.

I am aware that the rate of marital success/happiness among paraplegics and quadriplegics is challenged severely if there is a sudden lifelong traumatic injury sustained by the patient that results in either paraplegia or quadriplegia. The role of the able-bodied partner changes in the marriage. Someimes the marriages fall apart.

you must have your own support group of other like-oriented caregivers. It's great that you take time daily for physical exercise. It is necessary.
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