Rachel has a close bond with her mother, and appreciates the time she has spent with her.
Transcript
Developing a close connection with my mom. I think we have a bond. I think it can be unhelpful at times, but I’ve been lucky to develop the relationship that I have had with her, and it wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t the way that it is. I also feel lucky that I appreciate her so much because I feel like every day could be her last day on the planet. And so, I live every day as if she died tomorrow , already I’m okay because I’ve lived like that for the last 10 years, so I think every day could be her last day and I’ve said everything that I feel I need to say, and I honoured our relationship in a way that I feel okay with. […] So that’s one of the things my friends are always saying “Oh, you’re so good to your mom and you really know,” and it’s not something I wish on anyone to have to think like that “Like oh, my mom could die tomorrow,” every single day, “or today,” but it changes the nature of your relationship so you really appreciate that person.
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- What is it like to be a caregiver? – RachelRealizing that it’s long-term is tough and sometimes Rachel wonders where the end is.
- Trying to find the right balance – Rachel (2)Rachel was always worried about her mother’s safety. Now, with more support in place, she thinks she could leave the city for the first time in her life.
- Trying to find the right balance – RachelCaring for someone can be beneficial if you allow it to be, says Rachel. Finding the balance is important.
- Support from family and friends – RachelWhen Rachel started opening up to friends, she found that many of them were also caring for their parents.
- Personal growth and transformation – RachelRachel has a close bond with her mother, and appreciates the time she has spent with her.
- Impact on health – RachelRachel thinks that all caregivers need to see a therapist whose moral compass is in-line with their own.
- Effects of care recipients’ behaviour – RachelRachel worries that her mother is no longer safe living by herself. Still, her mother wants nothing to do with assisted living.
- Challenging emotions and feelings – RachelRachel describes two incidents with her mother and how it made her fearful that something serious could happen when she wasn’t there.
- Becoming a caregiver -RachelRachel was a teenager when her mother was diagnosed with MS. She thinks she blocked a lot out, but remembers knowing she had to be there for her