Don’t Forget About You

One day, my coworker walked up to me and said, “You look great, you’ve lost so much weight!” Little did she know I did not lose weight on purpose. It was a few months after hearing my family member’s diagnosis, one in which we were told she may not survive. My weight loss was a result of my support for her and showed that I had stopped taking care of me.

Nothing prepares you for news like cancer. We had no guide on what to do and nothing to compare it to. It was immediate survival mode. She was dealing with a lot of quick life-changing choices and I was doing research and trying to quickly learn how to help. I was fully connected to every part of her journey through appointments, treatments, labs and scans, to making sure she ate, took her medication and got organized. My mind planned and prepared at night (which meant I wasn’t sleeping) while my heart had me at her side during the day.

You may be getting the picture that I am painting. You may even be in a similar situation where all you know to do is to give everything that you have while they fight for their lives. There is nothing wrong with that hope and it’s a worthwhile fight. Keep both but add in time to take care of yourself.

Thinking back to our journey, I know that I didn’t handle this right. I was a mess the entire time! I now know that although it helped her, it worried her. As a caregiver, consider taking time to recharge your personal battery. Eat, sleep, and set aside moments to breathe and do an activity that builds you up. It will be worth it for all of you.

At Moffitt, we offer many services to help caregivers, including the Family and Friends Support Group. To learn more, visit the Support Groups page or call 813-745-8407.