Stories from Caregivers: Genevieve from HAWAII
HI
Genevieve
FROM HAWAII
My husband and I have been together through most of our lives. We have been married for 50 years and have one daughter who is married and has two children. In this big four-bedroom house, it is just my husband and I. For most of my husband's life, he did physical type work ranging from Pearl Harbor to helping to build Ihilani, so when my husband got sick it was very difficult to see him in such a state. My husband had gone to the hospital before for problems such as not being able to breathe, but he was discharged soon after and he stopped smoking right away and it seemed that he would never age. Although, he stopped smoking, he also gained weight, which affected his health. One afternoon, on a Sunday, my son-in-law rushed into the house because he had been talking with my husband and my husband began to slur his speech. He was admitted to the hospital and had a mini-stroke. The whole situation was very overwhelming because although, the doctors stated that there was very little damage and no mental changes were noted, I could tell that there were little changes in him. About two years passed and he went into surgery to get the blockage removed that had caused his mini-stroke. He remained in the hospital after the surgery, longer than expected. The discharge was a lot of information to take in, especially now that he had an oxygen tank. After the surgery, I helped my husband and gave him total care. He was experiencing pain that affected his normal every day life. I was always there for him 24/7, cooking his meals, cleaning the house, helping him to walk, bathing him and also helping with his oxygen tank set up. I think the hardest part, for both of us, was thinking about how active he used to be before as compared to the way that he is now. Sometimes, it is frustrating for him, but I'm just happy that I can take care of him. He's more independent now, but I consider myself to be his full time caregiver as I help him with daily things and cook all his meals. As a caregiver, that person never leaves your mind because you are always wondering if they are okay. Even when I am out, I call him frequently to check if he is okay at home. Caregiving has been stressful at times because it is sometimes hard to find time to rest when you are constantly worrying about the other person. God has helped me through the hard times along with my daughter and her family. I am thankful to have my husband by my side today and although caring for him may be hard at times, I appreciate the time that we have left together.
