I know the feeling.

For the last 6 weeks we have been caring for a relative who is disabled.
Its a full time job, knowing no real rest, last night she was up wandering the house at 0200 hours for some reason.
It took me an hour to get her settled again.

She cannot be left alone, she falls and will hurt herself.

The stress is omnipresent, I have had a headache for weeks, my wife is under so much stress that she herself is becoming sick.

Yesterday we had a few hours to herself as another family member had the day off and came to give us a break.
For the first time in weeks my headache was gone and my wife actually smiled.

This cannot go on, Id hate to think of the stress that full time carers feel...all the time.
It must be an enormous burden, one I will seek to find a way to ease once this is over.
I may be able to help some local carers to get a little time off.

I guess ours is an unusual case.
The woman has dementia, which makes her unreasonable, and she has always been very independent.
But she forgets to turn things off and goes to walk down stairs, which she cannot do (there is a travelator chair, but she forgets to use it)
The door to the stairs must be constantly locked, the stove turned off at the powerboard, even the kettle and toaster must be hidden.

Yes, we all need a little self time.

And Ill be getting mine next week......I hope.