12/14/2024
Good morning folks! Just wanted to throw something out there... Again, this is just friendly advice based on my clinical experience and does not have to apply to everyone or every situation.
I grew up being told "Stay in a child's place"; I'm not sure how my siblings took it but to me it meant "stay out of my damn business" and that is what I did. As a matter of fact, my parents had me so sold on it that as I got older, I continued to stay in the "child's place" because I was programed to do so.
Fortunately, I realized in early adulthood that my mother will ALWAYS see me as her baby and continue to protect and guide as a mama bear should do; it's instinctive.
I continue to stay in a "child's place"... Hear me out for a second. The only difference is how I perceive the meaning and/or context of "child's place". In 2024, a "child's place" doesn't mean staying out of her business; it means being all in her business and helping the person that gave me life, nourishment and a blueprint to survive navigate the later years of her life.
So yeah, I'm in a child's place... I make sure my mama is good directly and indirectly (even when she is getting on my nerves). I try to stay involved in as many things medical regarding my mom as I can. I have access to her Healthcare online portal so I can monitor, educate and consult with her regarding medical needs and also with disease prevention. Yeah being a nurse helps but in my mind everyone who has ever cared for someone is a NURSE. I see what a lot of you have to go through as caregivers and I applaud you; IT IS NOT EASY AT ALL and you can burnout quickly. The most important thing to remember when staying in that "child's place" is to make time for YOURSELF!
For those of you that are primary caregivers for a loved one, remember that if you break down, there is a good chance that the quality of care for your loved one will also be altered. Yeah, some of you have other friends or family that can assist but as the primary caregiver, there is high probability that no one is going to do what you do; this is not an bad thing, not everyone is built to take on the "child's place" role in this context, especially when you have a family of your own to manage.
In most cases that I have witnessed of children caring for a loved one, there is always a lead; doesn't mean their the best at anything just means they have an opportunity to be more involved due to whatever reason. In my case, I'm a nurse with ADHD, Anxiety and Superman complex; I go over and beyond because I'm a busy body and probably somewhere on the spectrum lol. Make the time to set up your healthcare team with your family. Your healthcare team should consist of family, close friends, primary doctor, specialist, therapist, religious or spiritual leaders and community resources; all play a major role in Healthcare maintenance and prevention.
My mom is actually healthier than most people I know and my goal will always be to help her maintain optimal health when and if she needs assistance. She does not have hypertension (high blood pressure) but I will use hypertension as an example. I review my mom's medications and research how they work and also what side effects the medication may have; understanding mechanism of action for her medications helps me understand how my mom may feel at times or if the medication is working. Once I understand how her medications work in her body, I make it a point to evaluate how her medications are working; for example, if someone is taking blood pressure medications, has their blood pressure resumed to normal range or are blood pressure readings still high.
Creating a blood pressure log is important; it gives your Healthcare team more data to pull from to determine if more medication is needed, less medication needed or if everything is just right. God forbid you have a cardiovascular event (heart or vascular emergency), your doctor will be able to view your log and see that for the past 14 days your blood pressure was extremely high or extremely low. Essentially, your logging of blood pressure readings can tell a story. Documenting your blood pressure can also help you understand that the bag of beef jerky you ate at 7PM may be the reason your blood pressure is now 180/98 at 10PM; sodium in moderation folks. DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT.
A "child's place" is a loving place; keep doing what you do. Stay encouraged and keep your healthcare team running smoothly (communication, taking breaks, getting adequate sleep, staing involved, actively listening, adjusting roles, documentation, and UNDERSTANDING). It doesn't matter what you bring to the table, your loved one(s) not only needs you to have a seat at the table, they need you to actually sit in it 😉
P.S- Let's stop saying borderline hypertension or borderline diabetes. Either you have hypertension/diabetes or you don't. Telling someone that they are almost diabetic or almost hypertensive is like telling a 2 year old that if they touch the stove that they may get burned... Mary Jane (my mom) told me that if I touched that stove while it was hot, I would burn my entire hand off. Till this day, I have never had a burn from the stove and currently I still have hands; I guess there are some benefits about that older school of thought on "child's place" 😂
Have a great Saturday folks 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿
Chart listed below: American Heart Association, 2024
