A Letter to caregivers-Chronic Illness

Out of the woodwork have come private messages, e-mails and face to face talks with many people who have a chronic illness and read my blog.  Here is my letter to the tired and kind people who take care of us!!!

Dear Caregiver,

For years perhaps you have been caring for someone who may never get well.  You have been caring for someone who may not have a complete diagnosis, caring for someone who can't simply take a blood test, MRI, or X-ray and pinpoint the problem.  This is hard.  Your loved one isn't walking around with a rash, broken arm or some other visual reminder of the pain they are in.  This too is hard.  Not only do others often not understand but you too must forget sometimes, get tired sometimes, feel discouraged or resentful sometimes.  It is hard work.  It is never ending work.  You pull more than your "fair share" of work and weight, often doing not only your job but your loved one's job as well.  Thank you.  Thank you for encouragement, unconditional love and trusting in the Lord that this is all from His hand.  Thank you for not giving up after a million doctors appointments and millions of dollars spent on natural "cures".  Thank you for constantly laying your life down, dying to yourself, and also reminding others to do the same.  Thank you. You are tired too.

Thank you friends who care for our kids, thank you family members who tidy our house, thank you massage therapists, family doctors and chiropractors who are compassionate towards us even with no real end in sight.  Thank you to the prayer warriors who have not ceased praying for us for a decade, or longer. Thank you. Spouses, thank you for so much that it could never be listed here, most of all thank you for telling us how beautiful and refreshed we look! HA!