So, we’re on our way to a family vacation – planned for almost a whole year. The morning we are supposed to go, my daughter tells me she just can’t do it. It’s just too much. She has not been feeling well all week, so this really doesn’t surprise me.
Reluctantly, off we go without her- as I have 4 other children who have been counting the days to fun in the sun.
Headphones in place, we are happily making progress toward our destination. My daughter’s doctor returns the call I have made to him, tells me we need to take her to the hospital, and, just like that – our vacation turns into a STAYcation.
Unsurprisingly, my other children said nothing – not one complaint. They would rather give up a week at the beach than have their sister alone and sick.
My daughter, though, felt bad about the whole thing. As she and I were talking about it, I asked her if she felt mostly like a “receiver” rather than a “giver”. Immediately she said yes. It was then that I realized something – she needed to know that though she WAS on the receiving end of lots of our attention, she gave us so much. The reaction of my other children was proof of this.
How about your situation? If you are the one who is ill, please don’t feel you are only a drain on your family and friends. You are an integral part of all the people in your life.
And if you are the caregiver, let your sick one “give ” to you – even if it’s just a smile. Tell them how much they mean to you. It goes a long way.
Savannah Lyme Disease Support Group 