Do these dreams still exist? Do you feel guilty for thinking them? After working so hard to be able to have the liberty to go on trips, meet new people, I chose to bring my mother to live by me. I have no regrets, but my dreams have dwindled and am downhearted about the life I use to have and the way I used to look forward to life in general. It's so easy for people to say "you should go", but these people have never been a caregiver before and have no idea what it's like and how it changes your life with time. Do we ever 'find' ourselves again?
Me, as the dutiful daughter and only child, how could I drop what I was doing to skip off to see the Eiffel tower. Who would get my parent's their groceries, take them to doctors, to get their hair cut, to Home Depot for mulch, yada, yada, yada?
My dream is seeing a moving van in front of the house aiming for the retirement village a few miles down the road.... no, not for my parents, but for me :)
Will we ever find ourselves again? Well my bucket list now consist of only buying some cleaning buckets :P
I've been caregiving for over 4 years, living with mom for 1 year...i am on disability so dreams of a career are long since gone...I bought a timeshare in August so my travel dreams are still very much alive. I would love to go to art school..that was my dream in college but i ignored it so i could get a 'real' job someday.
My main issue is caring for my cousin, who I am DPOA for. She has dementia and is in Memory Care.
My goal is to find romance and I think I will. I know that life still holds some great things in store for me and I'm determined to find it.