Caregiver role, continuous learning, being on top of things: Feeling alive.

Caregiver role, continuous learning, being on top of things: Feeling alive.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a caregiver for my ama (“mother” in Basque) due to a degenerative neurological disease she suffers from, among other things. Being a caregiver entails many challenges, including being a caregiver without neglecting yourself, maintaining balance, and sometimes it’s not easy because the balance is disrupted and you get lost because, of course, the line isn’t clear, it’s not linear, and you have to search for yourself to find yourself and not repeat what you always do.

I’m involved in them daily, but well, no further than what any other person must do in their daily life, regardless of what they have in their life, what family, environment, or backpack´s problems they come from and have. In those lives of ours that are seemingly “normal,” but often have nothing normal about them. In fact, I don’t think any of us would be normal if we dig a little deeper, and thank goodness, because otherwise we’d be very boring. We all have our share of madness, routine, ups and downs, black and white… and the search for gray, for balance… but sometimes you have to dig a little and break away from who you are, and obviously have a real desire to do so, break away from what’s hurting us and try to improve a little, even if it’s just a little. That’s already a huge step.

In the image, I show one of my 11-day routines: taking my mother’s pills for the next 11 days. And remembering the changes the doctors suggest, being on top of whether they’re bad for her or not, and not hesitating if they need to be discontinued, even if someone else is a doctor and I’m not. Plus, appointments, schedules… in short, staying on top of things and not resting on my laurels. One of the things that makes me feel most fulfilled and complete, feeling capable of almost anything at my level, but with a great curiosity to constantly learn and teach. Feeling alive.

Oh, and yes, these are cups from my collection from the party txoznas (improvised bars set up in Basque Country). You can see how resourceful I am, and I give plastics that would otherwise end up in the trash a second chance. Reusing them, how important that is. And I also take them to parties whenever I remember: one less cup, one more step.