Choose to take charge of your
life. Don't let MS always take centre stage.
We fall into caregiving following an
unexpected diagnosis of MS, but somewhere along the line you
need to step back
and consciously say, "I choose to take on this caregiving
role". It goes a long way toward eliminating the feeling
of being a victim.
Honour, value and love yourself. You deserve some quality
time just for you. Self care isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.
Self
care isn't a luxury. It is your right as a human being. Step
back and recognize just how extraordinary you are,
and remember your own good health is the very best present
you
can give your loved one, (and yourself).
Seek, accept
and at times demand help. Don't be ashamed to ask for help.
When people offer assistance, accept it
and suggest specific things that they can do.
Caregiving,
especially at it most intense levels, is definitely more than
a one person job. Asking for help is a sign of
your strength and an acknowledgement of your abilities and
limitations.
Stand up and be counted. Stand
up for your rights as a caregiver and a citizen.
Recognize that caregiving comes on top of being a parent,
a child, a spouse, a friend. Honour your caregiving and speak
up for your well-deserved recognition and rights. Become your
own advocate, both within your own immediate caregiving sphere
and beyond.
Adapted and reprinted from Caregiver Self Advocacy: 4
Messages to Live By with permission of the National Family Caregivers
Association, Kensington, MD, United States of America's only
organization for all family caregivers. 1 800-896-3650
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
Toll free to reach
the nearest regional office: 1 800 268-7582
To locate the MS Society office near you, please select your region:
E-mail: info@mssociety.ca (Please provide your town and
province in your e-mail)
