One of the biggest things caregivers are good at is worry.   

• What if Dad doesn’t take is heart medicine?
• What if we can’t find a kidney donor for my husband?
• What if the CT scan shows growth?
• What if I can’t get refinancing for our home to a lower rate because my partner is not employed?

These concerns are legitimate and serious, but constant worry is stressful and will wear you down.  

Too much worry can create anxiety, stop you from the easiest of problem solving and can cause tension in relationships.

Are you an excessive worrier? Perhaps you unconsciously think that if you "worry enough," you can prevent bad things from happening.  But the fact is, worrying can affect the body in ways that may surprise you. When worrying becomes excessive, it can lead to feelings of high anxiety and even cause you to be physically ill.

But being completely worry-free is unrealistic.  What is realistic is taking steps to reduce and...

I never thought I would experience it again.  

These past couple weeks I have been riding the emotional roller coaster of caregiving - again.   

The words that come to mind are sudden, unexpected and why.

Cancer sucks.  It is a nasty disease.   

Aging sucks.  I hate the circle of life right now.  

But this podcast isn’t a pity party or a Debbie downer.  It’s funny how fast you forget about those firsts.  

• The first inkling that something isn’t right with your loved one.
• The initial shock and numbness when you hear the bad news.
• Then comes all those emotions.  
• Hours of sadness, crying, grief before you really need to
• Anger, frustration 
• Worry, confusion 
• Feeling those nerves inside shaking
• You can’t focus

First, let me tell you about my Mom.  I’m blessed to have a great mother-daughter relationship.  

She is an energizer bunny.  The...

We are talking about the caregiver type called Nostalgic.  

Do you find yourself saying:

• "Ah, the good old days" 
• "If only I could go back and relive those moments." 
• "I wish I could rewind the movie of my life and enjoy the way it was."  

Well friend, we're going to dive deep into this today and talk about the qualities and the impacts of being a Nostalgic.  

If you haven’t taken our quiz called “What’s your Caregiver style?  Go to cathylvan.com/quiz     

I want to start out with a story from my past.  

I lived in a middle class, blue collar home.  My dad worked in the automotive business and my mom clean houses.  They worked hard and took pride in the things they had.  They were always doing home improvement and working on the curb appeal of our home.  But one thing I really remember was the fun time.  When they weren’t working, they liked to...

Today I want to talk about Wilma.  Who is she?   She is that talk in your head that keeps you up at night.  She talks and raises your stress level.   She keeps distracting you.  She drives you crazy sometimes.  

I know you and I have Wilma in our head on occasion.   She is the worrier. 

This past week, I let Wilma the Worrier take control of me.   My husband, Denis wasn’t feeling well and had two occasions where he was nauseous, had stomach pain and fatigue.  If you haven’t hear about Denis, let me quick tell you his health journey.   He was diagnosed in 2017 with CLL (chronic lymphatic leukemia) and then int 2018 his cancer morphed into Hodgkins Lymphoma.   He is currently in remission but when he gets sick or has symptoms, we tend to get nervous.  

Like I said, I let my brain control me with the Wilma worry.  I laid in bed and couldn’t sleep with worry, I then started...

Caregiving can often feel like a tightrope walk, a delicate balancing act between taking care of a loved one and self-care. It's a role filled with complexities and challenges that can lead to caregivers feeling overwhelmed and burned out. Our latest podcast episode titled "Untangling the Complexities of Caregiving: Asserting Yourself, Setting Boundaries, and Harnessing the Power of 'No'" delves into these complexities and offers practical advice and actionable strategies to empower caregivers.

The role of a caregiver can be draining, physically, emotionally, and mentally. We often ignore the silent signals our bodies and minds send us when we've hit our limits. It's crucial to recognize these signs and respond accordingly. Whether it's feeling exhausted, angry, or resentful, these are all signs that you need to take a step back and assess your commitment, health, and overall situation. By acknowledging these signals, caregivers can take the first step towards setting healthy...

Caregiving can be a rewarding experience, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges, one of which is the constant worry and anxiety that caregivers often face. This is a topic we explore in depth in our latest podcast episode, "Redirecting Chronic and Obsessive Worry as a Caregiver."

Worry and anxiety are common among caregivers, often due to the uncertainty and unpredictability that come with caring for someone else's health and well-being. Whether it's concern about a loved one's prognosis, managing medical appointments, or simply the daily tasks of caregiving, these worries can easily consume us and take a toll on our mental health.

Understanding the difference between general worry and unhealthy worry is the first step towards managing this anxiety. General worry is a normal human emotion and can be helpful in some situations. However, when worry becomes obsessive, it can lead to anxiety and even physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations, stomach aches, or insomnia.

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