"I'm not an expert on Alzheimer's disease, but I am an expert on loving someone who has it." – Lauren Dykovitz

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Lauren Dykovitz May 23, 2017

Published by Lauren Dykovitz

Lauren Dykovitz lives in Florida with her husband and two black labs, Oakley and Lucy. Lauren is a writer, wife, dog mom, sister, aunt, and Alzheimer's daughter. Aside from writing her own blog, Lauren has been a contributing writer to several other websites and blogs. Lauren also self-published her first book, "Learning to Weather the Storm: A Story of Life, Love, and Alzheimer's." It is available on Amazon. View all posts by Lauren Dykovitz

Published May 23, 2017

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We’re all going to make mistakes along this journey. Don’t be so hard on yourself! Link in bio. 💜 . #lifeloveandalzheimers #alzheimers #alzheimersawareness #alzsucks #endalz #caregiver #caregiving #learnfromyourmistakes #selfcare #selflove #bekindtoyourself #dementia #dementiaawareness

I often feel like I’m not doing enough to help my parents. I feel bad for telling my dad I couldn’t handle taking care of my mom anymore. I feel bad for any time I ever told him I couldn’t watch my mom or even call her because I was busy doing something else. And I feel absolutely terrible for having moved so far away from them at a time when they need me the most. . But here’s the thing. . You don’t have to give up your whole life or your whole self to care for your loved one. You don’t have to compromise your physical and/or mental health. You don’t have to destroy your marriage or neglect your children. You don’t have to ruin your career or your finances. . You are not a bad caregiver just because you didn’t give up on your own life. . Some people don’t have a choice. There are circumstances beyond our control and sometimes getting help is not even an option. I get that. But if you do have a choice, it’s ok to choose you. . It’s ok to choose your physical and/or mental health. It’s ok to choose your marriage or your children. It’s ok to choose your career or your finances. It’s ok to choose your life. . Some people won’t agree with me and that’s fine. My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when I was 25. I’m 34 now. I put my life on hold for years to care for her and help my dad. I chose them and their needs. What about my life? What life? I didn’t have one. And I’m still trying to come out of that dark hole I so willingly put myself in. . So I say this to you, as well as to myself. It’s ok to choose you. It’s ok to choose your life. You are not a bad caregiver just because you decide you aren’t the best person for the job. . #lifeloveandalzheimers #alzheimers #alzheimersawareness #alzsucks #endalz #caregiver #caregiving #selfcare #selflove #liveyourlife

I feel like I’ve been trying to “find myself” for the last 6 years. Between caring for my mom, helping my dad, and supporting my husband in his career, I lost myself. I still don’t really know who I am, who I’m supposed to become, or what I want to do with my life. . It’s so easy to lose yourself in caring for someone else. I’m sure many of you have experienced this feeling to some degree. I’m trying to work on this daily. You should, too! Start by remembering who you were before. 💜 . #lifeloveandalzheimers #alzheimers #alzheimersawareness #alzsucks #endalz #caregiver #caregiving #grief #loss #selfcare #selflove #selfworth #findingyourself

As I wrote in my last blog post, I worry about my mom’s death every day. I’m trying to stop worrying about things I can’t control and things that may never happen. I want to focus on living in the present moment and enjoying the time I have left with my mom. . Death is final. Once my mom is gone, I’ll never get the chance to go back and do anything over. I don’t want to become so consumed with worry about her death that I forget to enjoy the rest of her life. 💜 . #lifeloveandalzheimers #alzheimers #alzheimersawareness #alzsucks #endalz #caregiver #caregiving #grief #grieving #mourning #loss #death

The Life, Love, and Alzheimer's Podcast

My podcast is here to let you know that you are not alone on your journey of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. I hope to normalize the thoughts and feelings of Alzheimer's caregivers. I'm not an expert on Alzheimer's disease, but I am an expert on loving someone who has it.

Lauren Dykovitz 2018

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