Stories from Caregivers: Joe from VIRGINIA
VA
Joe
FROM VIRGINIA
My wife Joanna has Tuberculosis and is confined to our home and mostly the bedroom. I am caring for her alone as we do not want to expose anyone to TB and we are very isolated and basically on lock down. I am a Logging Foreman but I can work from my vehicle using 2 way radios to instruct the crew on what needs to be done for the day. I also take advantage of Skype and messaging and texts to relay much of the information that is necessary to complete the work load that we have each day. The past few weeks have been a very trying time for the both of us and our families as well. I don't understand how people simply don't comprehend the severity of this problem. We have had to turn away friends, family and neighbors who mean well and want to visit and help but they simply do not understand that TB is contagious, highly infectious and can kill them if they are not strong enough to fight it. We have to tell people to leave, they get upset and think that we're being overly cautious and silly. Yes, I'm silly for not wanting them to catch a contagious infection. I love them all and am grateful for their love, affection and attention. But they are wearing me out with this nonsense. I need Joanna to get better so we can get back to our lives in a more normal fashion. It's going to be a long road ahead of us and I need all the strength I can get.
