I’m currently a caregiver, not something I ever thought I’d be doing. After spending three and a half years working as a receptionist at a clinic, I was ready to be much less involved in anything requiring a doctor’s office. 

Instead, I take my grandpa to the majority of his appointments. So I spend a lot of time in doctors’ offices, talking to doctors’ offices, remembering all kinds of medical information, keeping his medications straight, and so much more. But I have decided to be grateful for my experience in a clinic on that side of the medical industry, because it has helped me navigate the patient side of things on my grandpa’s behalf. 

Caregiving is very challenging, especially since I split the tasks with a couple other family members and a home health aide. It’s been a process trying to figure out who’s going to do what, but I think we’re getting that worked out now, two and a half years later. There have been many instances where I’ve gotten a phone call and had to rearrange my schedule, get in the car, and go. Either it’s something that comes up all of a sudden and has to be addressed right away. Or a family member has not kept up on their commitment and I’ve had to take care of it. 

I get to spend a lot of time with my grandpa. We usually have a lot of fun. He got some great stories. Like the goat that attacked his reflection in a shiny car door. Or the time he and his brother hitch hiked and rode the rails cross country. Or sneaking off to town with his brother to go to the movies.

It’s not always fun. He has Alzheimer’s. And that isn’t fun. I repeat myself a lot. I get a lot of phone calls where I tell him the same thing I told him yesterday. And I know it won’t get any better. And we’ll have to step up his care. 

And that’s okay. We’re family and we look after each other.