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\u201cA friend of Philip\u2019s sent me a book, and one of the things I remembered it said was that people are going to want to help at the beginning. You have to let them,\u201d Julie said.<\/p>\n
Some people love to cook. Some people love to research. Some people love to network. Let people use their gifts to help you.<\/p>\n
Write It Out<\/h3>\n
\u201cI Really learned how to journal through this process,\u201d Julie shares. \u201cI\u2019ve always bought journals before and after three or four days \u2026 I\u2019d lose interest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her house was full of people after the crash, and she couldn\u2019t sleep because her mind was racing. So she\u2019d go into a closet to read and write in her journal. The writing served as a great way to release all of the thoughts consuming space in her mind.<\/p>\n
Now, she occasionally goes back and reads them and learns from what she wrote down.<\/p>\n
Taking Care of Yourself<\/h3>\n
\u201cFor almost a year after the crash, I couldn\u2019t sleep despite being exhausted,\u201d said Julie. \u201cNow I am sleeping again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Self-care is vital for both the caregiver and the person needing their assistance. When you are on an airplane, you probably remember the flight attendant telling you, \u201cIn the event that the plane loses pressure, put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.\u201d Easy to say, hard to do.<\/p>\n
But if a caregiver doesn\u2019t take time to take care of themselves, they often can end up suffering from emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that prevents them from assisting the very person they are trying to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeeping a regular schedule was key. My husband and I own a construction company, and together we have five children and two grandchildren. I have a schedule to spend quality time with Philip at least three days a week. The other days, although he\u2019s always on my mind, I\u2019m able to advocate for Philip, work at our business, and have some peace,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
Creating a New Life<\/h3>\n
Two years into Philip\u2019s recovery, everything is starting to come into focus. He\u2019s now in a facility much closer to her so she doesn\u2019t have to travel as far to see him. This gives her more time to relax because she\u2019s not fighting traffic. She started having date nights again with her husband, and they managed to go on their first vacation, albeit a short one.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI have peace with knowing Philip is close. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ll ever get to hear his voice again or if he\u2019ll walk again. But I hope so,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
That hope keeps her going.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"