Parents with Medical Conditions

No one ever thinks during their lifetime that eventually they could be dealing with one or even both parents with medical conditions. It’s usually the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. In today’s world though, it’s becoming more and more common as our parents age. We could become their primary caregivers when they become ill, and that’s scary.

How we handle this can affect how we live the rest of our lives and how we may deal with it if it happens to us. Watching a parent suffer with a terminal condition is probably one of the hardest things you will ever have to deal with. Many times people don’t understand how to handle it and what steps to take to make it easier for them and on their loved ones.

One of the first things I learned is that you can’t blame yourself for anything and you must keep living your life just like you use to. Their will be times when you might have to give up some personal time to take care of your parents but try to keep your life as normal as possible. It will make things so much more bearable.

If there is one thing I’ve learned it is that parents with medical conditions can be very cruel sometimes. Does this mean they don’t love you? Of course not; medical illnesses make people do things that are out of character, such as say things that are mean and hurtful. Pain and medicine can make them lash out at you but you can’t let it affect you or what you need to get done. No matter what remember they are your family.

Many programs are located throughout local communities that can help you deal with your family medical conditions. One such program is Hospice which is usually accessed using local hospitals and care givers. This is a great program because they help give you support and also help your family understand what your loved one is going through. Hospice can also teach you what you can do to make his or her life easier in their last days. I highly recommend them as a helping hand when you need it. They have helped me immensely in dealing with everything.

Time adjustment is probably one of the things that will affect you the most. Their will be less time for yourself and your own family. Budgeting your time with family and friends will take some getting use too. It won’t be easy because some people won’t be happy with the lesser amount of time you can spend with them. You will be dealing with a lot of different people and different pressures than you normally would. Keeping your emotions in check will be hard sometimes but it will be something you will have to learn to do. The last thing you will have to deal with is learning when the end is near for your loved one. How you handle it will remain an important factor when you are put in the same situation your parents are in now. Always remember no matter what they still are your family.