The Patron Saint of Caregivers

Who is the patron saint of caregivers?  I know that St. Rita is the patron saint of women who take care of women (not to dis St. Rita, but that's a fairly narrow category, and I don't know how flexible she is). I know of her because Kevin gave me a statue of her, along with a card outlining who she was and what she does.  I like that he knows this, and I love that he sees me as fitting into that category!  But now I want a patron saint who is a generalist.  (I nominate my mother, and perhaps she could round up a few of her heavenly cronies, and create a consortium of patron saints of caregivers...)

Yesterday was challenging.  I was coming out of one of the most stressful work weeks imaginable, and even after a fabulous evening with my friend, I was still carrying it.  Kevin is clearly struggling with the limitations of a 1 armed man, so much so that in spite of the result of his vacuuming and snowblowing, or I should say, even though after those two activities last week, we landed inAnn Arbor with his extremely swollen hand, and a wound not as healed sati should be, and wound care stepped up to 3 times daily,and a strong warning NOT to use it, Kevin still wants  to do the things he has always done so I do not have to do it all.  I get that, but iris FAR more stressful for me when he wants to ignore medical advice, and becomes difficult when I JUST SAY NO.

Combine that with errand running.  Typically we do a lot of that together(with him driving; a significant difference!). These days,whIle I truly don't mind the added responsibilities, "for the cause"' my challenge becomes balancing social activities with down time where I can be alone.  Sometimes, just being alone in my car, doing errands and listening to my audiobook is that time. Yesterday, Kevin  needed to run an errand, which meant he could accompany me, or...I could do mine and he could...walk 6 miles in the snow both ways...so I of course I
"Graciously" allowed he could come with me.  ( it MAY have been my graciousness that set the tone for the rest of the day...)

Clearly Kevin did not get the memo.
1.  I may be directionally impaired, but when driving in my own neighborhood, to places I drive to on a regular basis, please do not navigate.

2.  Unless there is every indication that I am going to careen out of control and slam into another driver, a pedestrian, a wall or anyone or thing else, it's just not necessary to scream "watch out!" At full volume.

3.  Along those lines, unless I pull out a book and start to read, it is not necessary to shout, "GO! GO! GO!" When the light turns green.

4.  If I leave the road, and go sailing through private yards or farmer's fields, then AND ONLY THEN or under similar circumstances , is it appropriate to scream, "where are you going!?!"  Refer to 1, relax and enjoy the ride.

5.   I am not new to parking lots, been to that rodeo before.  I can tell the difference between an empty spot, an occupied spot and the road.  Again, no need to navigate.

I may have tried to ditch him in the grocery store.  Okay.  I may have ditched him in the grocery store, but I did go back and get him well before I checked out.(of the store)

Once home, he had the sense God gave a goose to go up to his den and close the door after putting away the groceries. ( if I can just interject, why is it the things they CAN do to help us without causing harm to them are not really something they want to do?). I cleaned the house, vacuumed up and downstairs, did 3 loads of laundry and cooked ahead, AND had lovely diviner on the table before 7pm.  I certainly felt 100% better! Apparently, so did he,.  While waiting for the new season to start, we have been watching old West Wing episodes, and enjoying them every bit as much as when they were new.  We were fine by that point, laughing and enjoying each other as usual...but I could still use that Patron Saint; as Scarlett O'Hara said, tomorrow is another day.