Selfish Care

I attended a support group yesterday and I know this sounds selfish but I always feel better when I hear what other caregivers are going through.  Perhaps it is the beginning stages of dementia that others are struggling with or maybe I have been doing this for the past ten or more years but being a martyr is not the way to take care of your loved one.  If anything, you are killing yourself.  I listened to a wife attend to her husband in a nursing home by visiting him every day and staying several hours.  At one point the husband said, where have you been, not remembering that she was always there. I have come to the acceptance part of grief.  Time to take care of me.