We have our little routine every day, I pick him and his chair up and take them to his work (he’s a teacher), and, I pick them up in the afternoon and we run errands or go to physical therapy or whatever.

I’m not sure how much longer I can sustain this schedule, since, I am leaving work early almost every day, and, my pciking him up in the mornings is leaving my husband to get all 3 kids ready and dropped off at school. He’s a teacher, too, so he needs to be at work on time.

I do have to say that I recognize how fortunate I am to have a job where I can do this, and, my husband’s school is very supportive. I couldn’t imagine what we would do, otherwise.

As you can imagine, he’s very frustrated by the whole thing. He sees the surgeon today, I really hope he can tell us something, like when he can have surgery, but, I’m not holding my breath.

I have a small, nagging feeling that things may not get better than this, but, I just give that feeling a bunch of donuts and it goes away.

Post from: Blisstree

Dad update

Post from: Blisstree

You know you are way too caught up in aging parents when…

Look at the 2 reasons for doing away with your bone-creaking, wheelchair bound parents in today’s culture:

An “social” burden. Unfortunately, there are loads of kids in this category. There are many of you who just can’t be bothered repaying the care your parents provided you. You have an important career and make good money. You have high society friends. But you are simply too preoccupied with your social engagements that your aging parents have become an inconvenience to you. At times, you’re even slightly embarrassed to be seen with them. You’d rather spend your free time with your partner clubbing the nights away, when you’re not too busy working and traveling. You’d rather play golf with your buddies instead of taking your parents out for a walk in the park. Basically you’ve forgotten what your parents gave up in order to raise you. You don’t even bother about them anymore.

A “true” burden. But there are some of you who are really struggling to juggle between taking care of parents and your own harsh lives. You are so busy making ends meet that it’s virtually impossible to take good quality care of your parents. And so, with a heavy heart and sincere pledge to visit as much as you can, you ship them off to an old folks’ home. It not a decision you can easily forgive yourself, but it’s certainly the best alternative for the time being. Until you sort out your own mess.

So, what excuse do you have if you find yourself belonging to the “social” burden category of useless kids?

Though there are as many different situations as there are families, sadly, there are some (I’d like to hope few) people who, though they have the means, simply won’t step up and be responsible.

Post from: Blisstree

A burden?

My mother has terminal lung cancer. As a matter of fact, she will more than likely die during my tenure with you here at GenBewteen.com. While I understand how lucky I am to have had 2 loving parents for this long, I must admit, I’m still trying to process this whole thing.I have a husband, a full-time job outside the home and 3 young children (ages 4, 9 and 11), so, having this time to “process”? Not so much. Additionally, I’m a nurse, a Catholic, and, a Virgo. Predisposed to an overdeveloped sense of responsibility? Who, me?

Depsite the fact that my boss calls me the “Sandwich Generation Poster Child”, none of this makes me an expert on being sandwiched between caring for my own parents and my children at the same time. However, people tend to assume that, because I’m a nurse, I have some sort of advantage in this situation. But, I really don’t. Actually, that makes it worse sometimes.

Where was I going with this again? I forgot.

Anyway, I’m just a 41 year old mother, daughter, and, wife slapped silly into “real” adulthood 3 years ago when my own mother became ill. Like many of you, I am sometimes torn between what I need to do for my parents and my kids, but, I make it up as I go along.

Post from: Blisstree

A little more about me

Like many people my age (41), I am raising young children along with being responsible for aging parents. As an only child with no extended family, I knew this day was coming, but, until about 3 years ago, it was largely theoretical.

I knew I had arrived in this group the day my mother was in the hospital, my dad was in the ER in the same hospital, and, I couldn’t get to either one of them because my husband wasn’t there, and, I had a 2 year old in tow. Good times.

Anyway, I am pleased to be writing this site, since I’m not alone (even though it may feel like it sometimes), and, I hope I can share stories, resources, and things I’ve learned along the way in case you are in this sandwich with me.

Post from: Blisstree

Welcome to GenBetween.com