Today is Tuesday; and I am joining my friend, Karen Beth, for Tuesday @ Ten.
This link-up, writing from a prompted word or phrase, is one of my fave...be sure to check out the others' posts, and link your own!
Today's word is: PATIENCE
A word that I have written about over and over and over...
Something I have prayed for over and over and over again!
Actually, I am a pretty patient person,
Most of the time!
The times that I have a worse time with patience are with my husband...
A subject I have written about quite a lot on my blog; and one that I really am not an expert at. Don't ask me how to be patient with someone who has no idea how his behavior affects someone else, especially me...his wife and caregiver! I have a hard time with that.
Patience? The definition of "patient" as an adjective is:
"(a) a person who can wait for a long time/who remains calm/who doesn't lose his temper; (b) careful/painstaking."
Actually reading this definition reminds me of my father. For years, his hobby was building small airplanes from kits.
My Father a few years
prior to having a stroke
After having a stroke, my father continued to work on his model airplanes with such patience...
...With the use of mostly one hand since the other one was crippled and in a brace!
I was amazed at his skill at holding the airplane with his crippled hand so he could paint or glue it together!
Now, I will say this - There were times when my father became very impatient; when my two brothers and I were growing up, he was a quiet, patient man...but had a few out-bursts when we were "out of control"!
But, later, when building these model airplanes, especially after his stroke, he would get very impatient with himself and his inabilities to do things as he had once done...not often; but sometimes.
More often he was a very patient man!
I pray for that kind of patience! I pray almost every day for it...
Found on Pinterest
Shared by kingofkings7.wordpress.com
Thank you, God, for the example of this wonderful, loving earthly father. My I learn the patience he had - before and after becoming ill. And, may I be more patient with the one who I become the most impatient with...
I think that anyone caring for someone who has cognitive impairment deserves our admiration; and underneath the patience there is a reservoir of goodwill to BE patient - that in itself is huge! Hoping you can pat yourself on the back for just getting through, even if some days the patience is a little thin.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alexa...it IS hard to be patient; and I DO try. Appreciate your kind words of encouragement...pat myself on the back? OK, just because...
DeleteAppreciate your reading and commenting!
I agree with Alexa: the reservoir of intentions you have to be patient must be felt by your husband and he must appreciate that deeply, which must override any negative impacts of the (I imagine very few) outbreaks of impatience from you. Full of admiration for you, Barbara, that you so fully embrace your role as caregiver. Helen xxx PS. My, don't you look so much like your father?
ReplyDeleteThank you, my friend! I DO intend to be patient all of the time; it just doesn't always come. But, yes, the intentions are there! You, once again, humble me; I DO embrace that role and really am trying to do my best under the circumstances.
DeleteAppreciate your reading and commenting...
A good explanation of patience. Being a caregiver takes a lot of patience and I remember my dad losing his with my mom. She had Parkinson's Disease and he had to do everything for her. He felt weighed down by it all especially at the end when the dementia snuck in and made things worse. Sounds like you are doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard, Tessa, for all caregivers! There are so many different things that can make it worse; that can make a caregiver feel weighed down by the whole situation. No, it isn't easy. I just try to take it one day at a time; and not let him get me down...because, I know - really and truly, though I don't always write or talk that way!! - he really cannot help some of the things he does or says...I just have to try to smooth things over and not react so quickly!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting...