An Unexpected Caregiver

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Elizz for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Most of us expect that we will eventually become caregivers to our aging family members. Sometimes we end up in the caregiver role long before we expected, due to accidents, injuries or health concerns. Becoming a caregiver unexpectedly can put a great deal of stress on a family. Services like Elizz are vital for maintaining your own health while being a caregiver.

A few years ago, my son started to show signs of illness. At first we thought it was just a virus or a reaction to a medication so we made doctor’s appointments and did our best to figure it out. His illness persisted and worsened, and no one seemed to know what was wrong. Our visits to the hospital and doctor’s office were so routine that everyone knew why we were there. They treated his symptoms with IV fluids, and they ran tests, but we still had no answers.

It was a very stressful time, when we first become caregivers to our ill child. We didn’t really have anyone to talk to about it, because it’s difficult to burden others with your own problems. I realize now that is a common problem among caregivers.

Our son was losing weight quickly, so managing his diet was a challenge. He was weak and tired. My breaking point came the day we had to move his mattress from the top bunk, because he could no longer climb the ladder to get into his bed. I wish I had known about Elizz.com so that I could have taken advantage of their services and learned a little more about my own journey as a caregiver by taking the 5 Stages of Caregiving Quiz.

After months of this, we finally received a diagnosis. He has a severe form of Ulcerative Colitis, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the large intestine. We were still caregivers to an ill child, but we were getting support and direction. We had specialists, a dietitian, a child life specialist and our family doctor.

It was important for us to learn what services we needed and where to find them. If you are a caregiver, you can can find service suggestions from Elizz here: Which Elizz caregiver services are right for you? I am finding comfort from the articles on Elizz, like this one: Identifying and Managing Caregiver Stress.

It has been three years now, and we still find ourselves needing some extra support and answers when it comes to caring for our son. Thankfully, I know where to turn for help when we need it: Elizz.com.