Long Intro

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone.

I am new to this group and wanted to send introduce myself. I was

going to join a " caregiving " group (part of why I'm in a support group)

because I am temporarily care-giving my two grandchildren (ages 4 and

11 months); however, I realize that much of my problem is the fibro,

and thought better to join here as you could all appreciate the stress

involved, and not just think of me as " whining. "

I have been taking full care of the two children now for over a month,

and it may be another month before my daughter and their father come

to retrieve them (from across the country - I went to get them - on a

plane - a month ago..) I've been bearing up pretty well physically,

but emotionally I seem to be falling apart. The baby is the biggest

strain as he is only 11 months old and isn't yet sleeping through the

night; although he's been doing very well the past few nights. He was

teething the past couple of weeks and seriously would wake up every 2

1/2 to 3 hours a night. It was like being in charge of a newborn.

I love my grandchildren very much and I love my daughter, but her

partner is a damaged person; quite verbally abusive. She has been

trying to 'help him' get over his need to SCREAM at the top of his

lungs (which we've all been privvy to at times in the past,when they

were living here) but he needs counseling and so far hasn't gone.

The children are (not) victims of the screaming, he strangely treats

them very well, loves them much, and they are well cared for and

happy. The 'abuse' they suffer is from watching him scream at

everyone else and about everything else. I am at my wits end but

realize I can only do so much and show love and help and that is the

most that I can do. I pray constantly and hope my daughter can find

the strength to get him to counseling or to leave and make a statement

or just leave. It is tentative and difficult and I am doing my best

to be supportive, but it's taken it's toll on the entire family (I

have an 18 year old and 15 year old also..) and I am really getting

grumpy, as is everyone.

I have to say that I am amazed at the number of things that I have

found I can do, and I am amazed at the energy I have been able to

muster. I am 55 and have been in such bad condition with this fibro

at times that I coudn't walk without great pain; right now I can fly

up our staircase (fly is not needing to double step every step) and

feel pretty darn good, considering. Still, my hands hurt (I also have

arthritis in both) and I am mostly exhausted. It's the fatigue. I

could sleep for a week and I (know) not wake up refreshed right now.

God bless all for listening. Just having people to understand helps a

lot and I know you all will. This too shall pass, as everything does

(but then I'll truly be missing the little one's as we're a country

apart and I won't be able to see them probably for a year or so..)

go figger! Take care!

Eidann

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