You Are About To Enter Another Dimension....

 ...A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!

That's how I've been feeling lately. My life has become somewhat unrecognizable. I am surviving one day at a time. I guess that is all we can ask for.

I am a caregiver. I never thought growing up that my full-time job would be caring for my ailing mom. I thought because she was such a feisty and strong person that she would live forever, just as she was. How I wish that was so, but like all things, change happens...

...and being the dutiful daughter that I am, I do. I do laundry. I do cleaning. I do bandage changing. I do bed changing. I do the driving to doctors. I do all the listening, so that I can relay what these doctors say. I do the medicines. I do heavy lifting. I do....

..but what I haven't been doing is taking care of me.  I have heard that something like 37% of caregivers actually die before the person they care for does. That's a statistic that I don't want to be true, for me. For my family. So... 

....I am making some changes. I will change my outlook from "I don't know how".. to "I will".  I WILL get off my butt and do some exercise, instead of sitting here lamenting over photos of fit women on Pinterest. I WILL focus on what I am eating and how much I am eating and keep a diary so that I know. I WILL get my children involved in exercising and eating better. I WILL get my husband involved in eating better. I WILL not be a statistic...

..and I will also be saying what I think and what I go through in these entries. Maybe they will help someone else, or maybe they will just help me. I need a space that is just mine. A place to write what I want, where I want. To say what I want to say.

Of course, this comes with some possible unwanted side-effects...and I only have a few requests of those reading this. 1) If you know me, please don't repeat what I say. I need a safe place. I need a place for me. For my thoughts. Thanks. 2) If you don't know me, and want to be a friend, awesome. I always need friends. ..and 3) I know I will fail, from time to time. Encourage me. 

...as I hope to encourage others...