When It Rains, It Pours

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Sun May 31, 2020 6:20 pm

Hello, my friends. As I've shared, I work in a 324-bed long term care facility. We are still COVID-free, but the fear of the first positive case hangs over our heads. As if that isn't enough, my 25-year-old son is a PA State Trooper, who just graduated from the Academy at the end of March. He is now working at the protests in the large cities around our home town. Here's to hoping that my insides stay where they belong! I have been doing very well, but now I have a knot in my stomach that I'm sure isn't going to go away anytime soon. When I look at him I see the little boy dressed in the police officer Halloween costume that he wore for several years. I know that this too shall pass - hopefully soon! I hope you all are well.

Vandolyn · Post by **Vandolyn** » Sun May 31, 2020 6:50 pm

Marcia, prayers for you and for your son’s safety.

Vandolyn

Post by **tex** » Sun May 31, 2020 9:17 pm

Hi Marcia,

Remember, things are going well. Please don't worry about anything that hasn't happened yet (and probably never will). Worry can only impose unnecessary stress on you and age you prematurely. If you insist on worrying, please wait until something to worry about actually happens. Bless your heart for being concerned, but I'll bet your son would rather you didn't worry about him.

Tex

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:22 pm

Hi Marcia,

Thinking of you. Your care facility is doing a great job! I think if your care facility gets through the next 4-6 weeks you should be smooth sailing.

We're having beautiful weather now. Maybe you can sneak out and catch some sun.

Brandy

Janie · Post by **Janie** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:33 am

Hi Marcia keeping your son and all people in my prayers. Maybe not the looters though!
Relax your care facility is doing a great job.

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Tue Jun 02, 2020 4:49 pm

Thanks, everyone! I'm taking one day at a time. My insides are still where they belong! My son is fine and he seems to be doing okay. I woke up a few times last night so I know the stress was getting to me. Hopefully tonight will be better. Thanks for your support!
Brandy, it's supposed to be 80 here tomorrow. Nothing like a little sunshine to lift the spirits! :cool:

Grahm · Post by **Grahm** » Sat Jun 06, 2020 5:49 am

Marcia,

Prayers for you and your son. I’m a worrier as well. The older I get the worse it gets:(. These times are troubling times!

Stay well,

Love,
Connie

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Sat Jun 06, 2020 1:04 pm

Thanks, Connie. My son is handling it well and that makes it easier for me. We now have several employees who tested positive for the virus and I hope it stops with them. My insides are still where they belong though, so it's all good!

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Wed Jul 22, 2020 7:03 pm

Marcia,

I’m very sorry to hear of your stressors.

My dad fell, and had a subdermal hematoma at the beginning of April. He was hospitalized, and then in a nursing home for 3 months. My hat is off to you as a front-line worker! You guys rock!
Pennsylvania nursing homes were hit hard by covid due to our governors poor decisions.

Advocating for my dads care, from afar, as well as taking care of my mom took its toll on me. I slipped out of remission for several weeks and had to go back to a bland diet.

No amount of worrying changed my circumstances.
I want to reintegrate what Tex said....don’t worry about tomorrow. Live each day to the fullest.

Blessing to you and your son!
Linda

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Wed Jul 22, 2020 7:18 pm

Hi, Linda. I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. I know how difficult it has been for our residents and their families without visitation since March. From what we're hearing from the state, visitation won't be permitted for some time yet, and then it will be very restricted. We have teleconferencing which has made it somewhat easier for the families, but many of the elderly spouses on the outside aren't very good with technology. I'm still in remission, thank goodness. The past few months have seemed to go on forever, but I have kept a positive mindset. My son is doing well and has not let the current climate get him down. He recently gave first aid to someone who was bleeding profusely until the EMTs arrived. It's the things that we do for others that give us the greatest satisfaction. Take care!

tommyboywalker · Post by **tommyboywalker** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 10:18 am

Hi Marcia,

I think most of us can for sure relate to the "stress" component, especially in these trying times!

One thing that you may want to explore and just try a few times to see if it helps you is the practice of "mindfulness meditation". It's not a hippie guru type of thing, it is something that has become very mainstream and is being taught and utilized in schools and healthcare facilities all around the world. To sum it up...the importance of the mind-body connection cannot be overstated.

Mindfulness meditation can be either guided (I use an app called Headspace) or unguided where you just do your own thing. I have done both and have found that the guided process is easier to stick with.

I have a chronic pain condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Mindfulness meditation was recommended to me about 8 years ago when I attended a conference on chronic pain. I thought, what the heck....I have nothing to lose. So I took a class and started it. It takes all of 10-15 minutes a day so for sure most folks have time for it. With my chronic pain, it doesn't actually reduce the pain. But what it does is it allows my brain to relax and process the pain differently, therefore it helps me manage my pain in an indirect kind of way.

This strategy works for Microscopic Colitis as well. We all know that stress isn't good for our condition. So why not introduce something that can help you either achieve or keep you in remission or lessen symptoms. YouTube has videos on this as well as just doing a simple Google search. It really is one of the best tools in my toolbox for both Colitis and CRPS!

All the best to you and your son. Thanks for what you do in Long Term Care. My mother was in LTC and memory care for 13 years. Two of my best friends are people that helped to take care of my mom. Such important work. Take good care!

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:26 am

Hi Marcia,

You and your son are rockstars!

In line with what Tommy said I find regular meditation/prayer helps me when I'm struggling. I have a meditation downloaded on my cell phone.

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:51 pm

Thanks, Tommy and Brandy. I will check into the mindfulness meditation. I've thought about it before and now is a good time to start. I love working in long term care. The residents teach me so many lessons about life! It's a joy for me to do whatever I can to make their days a little brighter.