Just as I was sitting down to bring you the next installment of caregiving comedy, my computer decided the last laugh would be on me. Done, died, dead. With no warning, no goodbyes, no fond farewells, just dead.
These two weeks provided lots of time to come up with all the joys that caregivers experience. So in a huge nod to Jeff Foxworthy, I bring you the first installment of:
“You might be a Caregiver……”
- If you know Medicare’s phone number and website without Googling….You might be a Caregiver….
- If your search for an Assisted Living Community for your Mom starts to look like a nice vacation spot for you and your spouse….You might be a Caregiver
- If you cancel your dentist appointment to attend Ice Cream Social Wednesday at your Dad’s nursing home, because you want the ice cream….You might be a Caregiver
- If you know your parents’ Medicare number, AARP number, United Healthcare number but not your own cell phone number…You might be a Caregiver
- If you feel the need to correct WebMD about all the missed additional symptoms of a urinary tract infection….You might be a Caregiver
- If your iPhone calendar has words on it like ‘catheters’, ‘hearing aid’, ‘urologist’, or ‘dentures’…..You might be a Caregiver
- If going to the Emergency Room is like Cheers where they know your first name and how you take your coffee…..You might be a Caregiver
- If you took the black Sharpie to your husband’s underwear to mark it for the wash instead of your Mom’s for the nursing home…..You might be a Caregiver
- If you’ve had more knock-down, drag-out fights with Insurance Companies, Hospitals and Doctor’s office than Muhammad Ali…..You might be a Caregiver
- If everyone around you thinks you are speaking in tongues because you are constantly saying, PT, OT, UTI, or DME….You might be a Caregiver
And this is only the beginning, my friends. After all, this is a new computer, so there’s lots of room for humor here now!
“You Just have to Laugh……”
©Cathy Sikorski 2016
Oh so good, and funny! How did I miss this one? Calling Medicare?
Luv,
Beth Ann
I’m sure you were on hold with somebody trying to get something done, Bethy!!!! Thanks for reading and commenting!
So true! 🙂
I hope you know there’s more, Laurie!!! Thanks for reading!
Thanks Helene for giving me a smile. My FIL is in hospital and the prognosis is not good He is 90 and fortunately we were able to celebrate my MILs 90th birthday and their 70th wedding anniversary this week. My husband and I have lived with them for the last 9 years and yes sometimes being a carer can challenge one’s sense of humour. Sue from Sizzling Towards Sixty.
I’m so sorry for the hard times with your FIL and MIL, but am happy to hear of your celebrations of their anniversary and birthday. This is life, isn’t it, Sue? And so the laughter part is just as important as acknowledging the sad part too! Best wishes to your family.
Oh, I bet there are so many people who will relate to this! You are amazing for always finding the humor in challenging situations.
Thanks, Lois. I still want to be you when I grow up!
Great piece, Cathy. Item 2 brought back memories of perusing brochures for assisted livings with my mom. She was resistant, but I was ready to move in immediately.
Ha, I know Judith…I still think that when I go visit people! It’s not so far from country club living which is why I wonder why it takes so long for us to ‘accept’ that “Hey, this is a pretty cool place to live!” Best to you!
That totally rings true to me! In a wryly funny way, of course.
Oh and there’s so much more, Carol…thanks for reading!
This is hilarious. YOU are hilarious!
Thanks, Helene! If you can’t laugh while caregiving…well, then you don’t really need those Depends, do you?