Late last week, Tropical Storm
Katrina lumbered out of the Bahamas only to pick up
speed as it headed directly for the area of South
Florida in which I live. I went home to quickly
prepare the house for her arrival. I spent that
afternoon cursing myself for not doing all of the
hurricane preparations I had promised to do after
last year’s eventful season. Later that evening,
Katrina developed into a hurricane and veered
slightly south, pretty much missing our
neighborhood. We were without electricity for a
day, but thankfully not much more.
As I awoke Saturday morning, the
havoc Katrina wrought on the neighborhoods south of
me filled the airwaves. Later she made a surprise
visit to Key West, dumping many inches of water as
she stalled over the Keys. Yet, the devastation
that Katrina caused Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama fills all of us with grief and concern for
those living in those states. Our thoughts and
prayers are with all living in those affected areas
and their loved ones.
(Storm
Preparations: Those Extra Precautions)
Now onto the two caregiving
lessons:
1. It pays to be prepared. If
you are not a caregiver, you never know when you
will get that phone call in the middle of the night
informing you of a loved ones illness.
When my dad took ill, I remember
sitting on the floor of my parents living room,
searching through boxes of papers, trying to find
the ones I needed. Two weeks earlier he was a
healthy 59 year old retiree, who had always handled
our family’s finances, with no thought that we would
soon be at a loss for what to do upon his sudden
illness.
2. Like a hurricane, you never
know where the next healthcare challenge will
strike. Do you have all of the Advanced Directives
in place for your loved one? That’s great, now what
about you? Do you have your own Advanced Directives
in place? Who will be your caregiver, if you should
need one? Have all adults in your family discussed
their end of life wishes with one another?
Like hurricanes, we can’t plan
for everything, even the best of plans do not allow
you to escape all pain, and we can never know upon
whom disaster will next fall. But, having a plan in
place is sure a lot better than scrambling when
healthcare disaster strikes.
Take it from one who knows.
