Exactly what is this phenomena that every one talks about in the morning time?
I haven’t had a “good nights sleep” close to a year..seriously.
I wake up at least 3-5 times a night with grandma.
We’re up between 12-1 am
Then we get up between 3-4 am
Then we’re up again at 5 am for morning meds
Then she wakes up about 7-7:30 am
Then breakfast at about 9:30-10
Then she takes a nap, but I can’t sleep then.
Then I’m awake, usually doing dishes or cleaning house, or waiting on nurses & aides to get here.
Today I will be up waiting for meds to be delivered.
I’m so completely exhausted.
I don’t blame grandma at all, she’s old, and has a weak bladder and needs her pain meds all throughout the night.
Who I do blame is my damn family.
Why does NO ONE notice how tired I am?
When I do say something like “ugh, I’m so tired grandma was up and down all night”
or “I need a nap”
I always get the same two responses
“well sleep when she sleeps ” Yea, I’ll just NOT do the dishes and clean the house, we’ll see what kind of reaction and looks I get
or my absolute favorite “I don’t know how you can be tired, you stay home all day” You know you’re absolutely right, cause I do NOTHING but take care of every single need and want of our grandmother, talk to nurses and deal with an aide, make sure meds are taken on time, do the dishes, clean the house, and cook dinner..but no, I don’t know why I’m tired either
So I walk around literally exhausted 99% of the time…
You would think after a year and three months of this, I’d be used to it, but clearly I’m not.
Everyone keeps telling me that this is a “choice” I’m making and I need to “make a change”
But what people don’t realize, is no, this was not a choice, well I guess in a way it was, I could have chosen to just run off and leave my grandma on her own, but that wouldn’t have been the right thing to do.
Still it wasn’t my choice to be her caregiver, it was my families, no one else stood up and said “you know what Donna, we’ll do this together, we’ll all help you”
Nope, not once.
And I can’t just decide to not take care of her anymore, I mean I’ve been her caregiver for a year, I’m the only one out of her grand kids that knows what she likes and don’t like, hell no one even knows the nurses names or the aides, or what doctor came and seen her last week…I am the only one who knows this shit.
I just wish I could lay down and sleep whenever I needed too.
Like Lynn, yes she works, yes she has a teenage daughter she has to take care of (who’s hardly ever home by the way) so yes, she is tired when she gets home and sometimes takes a nap, or comes home and gets on the computer until she goes to bed, I get that she needs a stress reliever, that she needs to “check-out” for a little bit, I can understand that, but would it hurt maybe on Sat. to pick up the slack with grandma a little, and let me just sleep…I just want to sleep, sleep until I can’t sleep anymore, until my body literally can NOT hold it’s eyes closed, that is what I want and need.
Is it too much to ask for someone else to do the dishes, cook dinner, clean the house? Is it too much to ask for someone to say “wow Donna you look tired, let me help you” once in a while?
Apparently so.
Yes, Lynn and the kids will get grandma a bowl of ice cream here or there, or fix her a glass of juice or whatever..but no one sees that I need their help in bigger ways.
For example, I did get to go out last Saturday night, I had the best time in such a long time, it was great, I met some cool people, got to hang out with one of my oldest friends, get completely drunk, and I actually smiled a real smile, it was fantastic.
The next day, I was so hung over (worth it though) I literally got sick like 4 times, my head was pounding, I looked like something from the show “The Walking Dead” (again worth it)
No one (didn’t really think anyone would) said “oh Donna, did you have fun last night, here let me take care of grandma while you sleep, you need it drunkey” in a laughing manner of course, no one said “Donna, let me cook dinner, I can see you don’t feel like looking at food” nope, not at all.
It doesn’t really matter if I’m hung over or have the stomach flu, no one seems to want to help with the big things. No one cares to know anything about the Hospice schedule or the nurses and aides names, or what pharmacy delivers grandma’s meds, no one cares that I’m exhausted. No one cares that I’m depressed, no one cares that I feel so left out of the world, no one cares. It’s as simple as that.
Like during the weekends, I am still doing everything, while Lynn is like “I’m going to take a nap” then sleeps from like 3-8 pm
She’s always like “well sleep while grandma sleeps” That would be possible if she didn’t wake up as soon as I laid down, there really is no point
No, instead I just try to tough it out the best I can.
No, my life isn’t horrible, shit could always be worse, and I know this.
I also know I’ve been blessed, I’m not saying I haven’t.
All I want is a little more help so I can actually sleep.
That “good night-sleep” that every one talks about…
I know I’m not the only one walking around tired, I know there are people who wish the same thing as me..
I am just so exhausted.
But mostly, I’m the kind of tired sleep can’t cure…
That’s probably the worst kind of all.
