Staying Strong

"What are you doing to take care of yourselves?"

This was the question the social worker at the hospital asked us after we had the meeting about hospice for Dad.

It's easy, when someone you love is very ill, to be completely consumed with their illness. I remember that happening when my Dad was first diagnosed with cancer--thoughts of it filled my mind almost all the time. I wasn't in the same city as Dad, but I know that my brother, who was, spent lots of days at the hospital.

I think we do this because we want to support the person who's ill. And I think we also do it because we think that somehow, by doing it, we can have some control of an out-of-control situation.

But we, my brother, sister, and I, are trying to take care of ourselves and each other. We're active people, so we treat ourselves with enjoyable activities.

Yesterday, my sister and I went for a walk along the parkway. Bill took a long bike ride.

And this morning, I'm going for a swim at the local Y.

It's good to get away from it all. I hope that it makes us stronger. We'll need that.