Remembering Self for the Well Spouse

Welcome to Remembering Self for the Well Spouse; a blog offering hope, sustenance, self-care advice and coping strategies for the well spouse*; for women and men with partners/spouses suffering from a chronic illness. This blog will be a reminder of the importance of extreme self-care and responsibility of self during challenging times. As a previous spousal caretaker and current health counselor, I offer a light to illuminate the all-consuming darkness of your partner's diagnosis; of your mutual struggle and loss. Chock full of useful tips and strategies and peppered with personal experience, Remembering Self for the Well Spouse is a place to find compassion and support during the adjustment period and the rest of your life.

Remember, it is difficult to be responsible for or take care of others if we are not taking care of and having responsibility for ourselves.

 

Monday
Apr132009

Guest post at My Life Works Today Blog

DateMonday, April 13, 2009 at 12:40PM

Check out the first in a series of guest blog posts at the Northwest's own Lupus support web site My Life Works Today (MLWT). Started by Maria Pfeifer, the MLWT mission is to inspire individuals who are living with all forms of Lupus and Lupus-related illnesses by being a strong resource of opportunities reflecting the potential and well-being of our Oregon and SW Washington communities.

MLWT has an active blog with posts by Maria and other bloggers who are both local and national experts in their field. There is also a wonderful forum for those with Lupus and other auto-immune diseases to share and connect with others.

Maria brought me on to share my experience as a well-spouse and a little about self-care and laughter. this first post in an introduction. Stay tuned for updates!

AuthorAndrea Crisp | Comment6 Comments | Reference1 Reference | | | Print ArticlePrint Article
Thursday
Jan082009

More on Resolutions: Honesty and Self-care

DateThursday, January 8, 2009 at 12:52PM

I just read, the president of the Well Spouse Association, Richard Anderson's January 5th blog post about New Year's resolutions. In the post, he shares an article written by fellow well spouse and WSA Board member, Terri Corcoran. I highly recommend you check this post out. The New Year, really any time of year as a well spouse or partner, you may find yourself needing a reminder to be good to yourself. I like to refer to this as extreme self-care. Extreme self-care is about what you need to do to recharge your batteries or prevent a nervous breakdown. The little things that add sanity and balance to our daily lives. It is different for everyone, but this is what Remembering Self is all about. Learning new ways of coping and self-care.

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Tuesday
Jan062009

A Taste: from Well Spouse to Sick Partner

DateTuesday, January 6, 2009 at 10:14AM

I had a health scare over the last several weeks that was a small blessing in disguise. It gave me a brief, albeit agonizing, chance to feel from the other side. My experience has been that of the well spouse; the healthy one. This is all despite the fact that I have struggled with my own health issues over the years, as many well spouses do. Like others in my shoes, my issues just seemed minor in comparison to the ravages of Lupus that my late husband experienced. Overall my assumption, even now that I am remarried, is that I will continue to be the well spouse, because Dan is quite a bit older than me. Statistically he will die before me, so I’ve always assumed that I will one day be in a caretaker position again and that I will one day be a widow again.

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Friday
Jan022009

43 Things: Great Site for the New Year

DateFriday, January 2, 2009 at 11:20AM

I've just discovered a wonderful web site called 43 Things that I wanted to share with everyone. In case you've never heard of it, 43 Things is a social networking site, but one with a self-help twist. The site is designed so that you can 1) List your goals for others to see (accountability), 2) Update everyone on your roadblocks or progress, 3) Cheer others on and be cheered on. What a perfect discovery to begin the New Year!

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Friday
Dec262008

EFT: A new tool for chronically ill & well spouses alike!

DateFriday, December 26, 2008 at 02:02PM

Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as EFT, is an amazing new tool for the well spouse tool box. It is something that both you and your partner can use for most anything that ails you. EFT is a new type of energy work that you can do yourself. Using the same theories as acupuncture and acupressure and the psychology of our mind-body connection, EFT incorporates tapping on certain points in your energy meridians with affirmation statements and yields remarkable results.

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* Please note that I have used the term “well spouse” because it is a common key word for this topic. You do not need to be a spouse to benefit from this blog! I recognize the importance of life partners and other close friends, family and caregivers, so please feel free to join in on the conversation whether or not you are a “spouse”. Your pain, experience and contributions are still relevant.