A couple of weeks ago, I was once again sitting in the chiropractors office. This time I held my 9-month-old grandson on my lap while I tried to convince him that this would be a great time for a nap. You know how things seem to go in cycles? Well this month it had been chiropractor visits. I had been in this office several times a week the whole month with my mother-in-law, myself, and today my #2 daughter who had such a bad migraine she couldn’t drive herself.
The receptionist, who is the doctor’s wife, came to sit by me for a little bit. I’m sure she was mostly there to play with the adorableness on my lap, NOT sleeping but she was talking to me so I wouldn’t feel completely left out. ” You are a caregiver for all ages aren’t you?” “Well”, I replied, “it certainly seems that is what the Lord needs me to do right now, doesn’t it?”
Always it is such a blessing to have so much family around me and so much to do all the time. It also feels like I do the things that need to be done because they need to be done. I love the people that I care for dearly so am I doing what I do by choice or by necessity?
2 nights later, I heard animal noises outside my window. The next morning, our big, beautiful, old, ornery cat wouldn’t come out of his house to eat. Remembering the noises from the night before, I wondered if he had been in a fight but I couldn’t see any blood so I finished the rest of my morning chores and came back to him later. This time, I lifted him out and brought him into the house to feed him. When I set him down, the was a lot of blood on my coat sleeve.
I checked him over just a little but I’m not good with wounds and I was afraid to move him much so I got an appointment and took him in to see the vet. She found several damaged places that needed stitching so we left him in her capable hands. When we came back to pick him up later, she said he had a would that was a fat layer from going into his chest cavity and would need care for several weeks.
As I later told my son this story, he asked me why I took him to the vet. He had a point. He is beautiful but also very old and very ornery and does all in his power to be annoying in every way possible. Well, I just couldn’t leave him! He needed care!
I cared for him for several days but he did die. The injuries were too severe and he was too old. And yes, my #2 daughter and I did cry for him.
I learned in my pondering though, that every day I am choosing what I do. I am doing what needs to be done out of love not just necessity. Even on days that are overwhelming, I now know that I am choosing to help those around in need of my assistance. Yep, I am a caregiver and I really love that!
0 Comments