Welcome To The Caregiver Cup Podcast.   My name is Cathy VandenHeuvel.   I’m so glad you found this podcast.  As a caregiver myself, I know how important it is to find a community that understands all the challenges of juggling all the caregiving responsibilities, how isolated you can feel,  and how stress and burnout can affect your mind and body.  But I know how rewarding and what a beautiful gift it is to take care of your loved one.

I was months into my caregiving journey where I found myself sitting in my car at a local park crying and banging on the steering wheel.  I was so tired, emotional and felt stuck.  I wanted my old life back and just wanted to run away.  I realized I didn’t take a breath and  was in auto-pilot and put my life on hold.  

I gained 20 pounds and wasn’t taking care of myself.  I would lay my head on my pillow at night and couldn’t sleep.  I would worry about my loved ones.  I gave up my daily routines at the gym, coffee with friends and added more to my busy schedule.  

People would remind me “don’t forget to take care of yourself”.   I would smile and then get angry thinking - how do I do that when the two men in my life were diagnosed with Stage 4 cancers and they needed my support.  

Fast forward 2 years.   I was managing better by adding healthy routines in my life - journaling gratitude, morning walks and trying to eat healthy.   But the caregiver stress was still there and was now chronic (meaning it was constant and has been there for a long time)   doctor diagnosed me with IBS and depression.  I gained an additional 10 pounds which added up to 30 pounds gained.  

I started reaching out to other caregivers, support groups and reading about this caregivers stress and what it does to you.   At that point, I knew I had to use my voice to share this....