The Group: Pt. Vl

I thought about standing up and excusing myself from the meeting on the pretext of going to the restroom and not coming back, skipping out to the shopping mall across the highway for some retail therapy instead.

But, I stayed.

And soon enough the meeting got underway, so I was more or less compelled to remain (but I kept an eye peeled on the closed door across the room from where I sat to remind myself that it was there ‘just in case’ I wanted to fling it open and flee).

The meeting was led by a woman who introduced herself as a social worker and the founder of an “eldercare” management services company with a long history working in social services. I was impressed, with her credentials and by her calm, professional yet warm demeanor.

She told us (though clearly most of the women in the room were already familiar with the ‘rules’ so she was obviously speaking to the few of us that were ‘newbies’) that her function was to facilitate, answer any questions we might have but we shouldn’t be surprised that what we shared with each other was probably going to be more helpful than anything she might say.

She stressed that we should feel free to say whatever we needed to, that there was no judgment and that this was a safe place, we were reminded that anonymity was more or practiced and not to gossip about what we’d heard or “out” people if you saw them in public (it all sounded very much in the tradition of 12 steps meetings that have a saying, “What you hear here, stays here”).

The facilitator gave me the impression of someone who’s heard and seen it all, so whatever any of us could say would not be new to her.

She then outlined the structure and guidelines for the meeting so we’d know what to expect for the next hour and half before having each of us tell the group our names (first names mostly but for some reason when it was my turn I gave my surname as well, as if I were being interviewed for a job or something), we were also asked to state the relationship to the loved one we were caring for and their diagnosis.

I found her to be professional, yet personable enough so that someone like me, wound up tighter than a clock, could relax (a bit) and start to trust the process and the new people that surrounded me.

Sure enough, soon enough, I found myself more at ease; my flight instinct all but gone and my judgmental bullshit evaporating like the ‘hot air’ that it was.

The Group: Pt. V

The meeting was just about to start and I was feeling out of place as I took a place at the table.

I looked around from face to face, from left to right and was greeted warmly with smiles and nods, as if to say, “you are welcome here” without a word having to be spoken.

I nodded back, smiled in kind and hoped my ‘calm’ demeanor and practiced façade didn’t give away the chaos running through my mind and the ‘fight to flight’.

Here (there) I sat, (on) and with all of these feelings; fear, anger, anxiety (pick a feeling and I’m sure I was feeling it).

What I was ‘feeling’ was that I was behaving (thinking) alittle like an ass (well, a lot actually) and wondering where I ‘got off’ thinking so much of myself.

As the saying goes in ‘another room’-“I was the piece of shit that the world revolves around”.

And why did I think I was so ‘different’ (read-special) anyway?….Because I was (what?) male? An “Artist”? Black?

What right did I have to think that my experience(s) were any more unique than theirs as I took a seat and hoped there was room enough on the chair for my ass and my arrogance.

Did the preponderance of ‘non’ natural fibers and elastic waistbands in their clothes (compared to the 100% imported cotton of my clothes) make their lives any less valid?

And what the shit difference did it make anyway?

The women had assembled together (or so it seemed) in solidarity to bond over a shared common experience and there I was, not joining in but judging them, based solely on appearances and whatever stereotypes I could project onto them, for no other reason than to separate myself from ‘them’ and the feelings that ‘they’ might illicit if I opened up and revealed that part of myself that I’d shared with no one really because I didn’t think they (my family and friends) would understand what I was going through, but, in this room that wasn’t the case, we were all caregivers.

I was making snap decisions about an entire room full of people before anyone had even opened their mouths’ to speak.

This did not portend good things to come (for me anyway-they all seemed fine).

What it did say was that my insecurity(ies) about (potentially) making myself vulnerable and exposing myself to a room full of strangers had sent my defenses into overdrive, so I lashed out (in my mind anyway) as a way to protect myself from their (perceived, anticipated) judgment by judging them first.

In truth this wasn’t some “Sex and the City” Kaffeklatch of gossips at some chic Manhattan restaurant after a day of light shopping.

No, this was a gathering of very real people (women) whose purpose was talking about the lives they were living, as they shared their stories about caring for their loved ones day in and day out while seeking comfort and support from kindred souls, coming together as a way to lift some of the darkness of feeling alone. 

The Group: Pt. lV

The Caregivers Support Group is held twice a month at a large, relatively new, Senior Center (adult day care facility) not far from where I live.

I knew the place well because I’d brought Miss Cathy there when I was trying to find a social outlet for her; thinking it was a perfect place for her to go to get out of the apartment, engage in some new activities and possibly make some new friends.

My attempt(s) to keep her mentally and physically active were met with much resistance; unfortunately, she was having none of it.

We fought back and forth about what she should best do with her time, I thought she should be engaging in life (while she was still relatively healthy and cognizant) but her wish was to stay home and watch actors on TV participate instead (while her muscles atrophy and her reasoning diminishes by lack of stimulation).

But, that’s ‘blood under the bridge’ as they say-‘her choice-her journey’, as I say.

If she didn’t want to avail herself of what’s right down the road (that’s positive and life affirming) that didn’t mean I had to follow in her stead (being negative and a ‘Debbie-downer’), if anything it’s serendipity that the facility that I thought was there to help her ends up being a place for me.

I arrived early for the 10:00am meeting, which is held the first Tuesday of every month (a perfect time for me since I’m freelance and don’t have a “Job-job”) the second meeting being at 5:30pm on the third Thursday.

I stopped at reception, asked for the meeting room then walked through the large atrium, looking through the glass fronted French doors into the great room where seniors were playing board games and other activities, past the exercise room with state of the art machines and equipment, peeking into the crafts room and library thinking what a pity Miss Cathy wasn’t here enjoying all of this (oh well) before finally arriving at a large multi-purpose room at the end of the long hall.

The room was peopled with card tables and chairs, and there was the soft murmur of conversation in the air.

I walked in, took an available seat and settled in, then I realized I was about to share my most intimate feelings with a group of strangers.

As I looked around the long table (made up of putting several of the smaller ones together) I noticed that my fellow caregivers were all female, they appeared to be a mix of middle-class mothers, wives and daughters, not unlike women you’d see at any upscale mall in America, or at “Curves”.

They were mostly middle aged (like myself) and mostly white (unlike myself), I sat there wondering to myself what in the world I could possibly have in common with this bunch (other than the obvious of course)? 

The Group: Pt. lll

Through Alz.org I found a list of support groups for caregivers in my area.

Thank God there’s a ‘support group’ for practically everything these days-even issues other than addiction (thank God for those, too).

We live in an age where if there’s “an app for that” (shopping, knowledge, games, fun, food or even sex) it’s comforting to know there’s a place where people with similar interests can gather in kind, “in the real world”.

I’m not a ‘people person’ by nature and even though my work life and career has put me in front of classrooms, crowds, on television and in front of lecterns, in my private life I am basically a loner and a little shy.

I do not seek out groups nor enjoy being part of a crowd.

I’m the type of guy who goes to matinees during the week to watch films when there’s the best chance of the theater being empty and I will get up and move to the farthest dark corner if too many people start to gather and sit near me (especially if there are plenty of seats elsewhere).

For some reason (which I find hard to fathom) people tend to clump together. I never understood this sort of behavior, nor is it my inclination.

I don’t know what that is, maybe it’s some sort of primal, instinctual ‘pack” mentality (that I obviously lack) that draws people toward one another in public spaces (a need to bond? for warmth? to feel safe?).

I do know that I generate enough heat to warm myself (too much in fact) and I’m a big enough guy that people might cross the street when they see me coming toward them on a dark night so I don’t need protecting.

Whatever leaning toward social ‘gathering’ I lack to be ‘up close and personal’ with folks, I am, at my most base level, a survivor so I have no problem seeking out my fellow man and/or woman when I’m in need of help.

As I’ve stumbled through life, with it’s many highs and lows, successes and challenges, I’ve learned that there are times when it’s better not to ‘go it alone’ and that asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness.   

It was to be my first meeting but I’m no stranger to support groups.

No, this was not my first time at the rodeo.

But, whatever other ‘groups’ I’ve attended are for another blog at another time.

Like the prayer that ends many a 12-step group meeting says, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.

It’s with this in mind that I set out for my first “Caregiver” support group meeting.

The Group: Pt. ll

As much as my brother and his family are ‘here for me’, and (on occasional) here to care for Miss Cathy, it’s still not the same.

Because they are not ‘here’ for the day in/day out, week in/week out events and changes (big and small) that string together to make a life (and when they ‘come to care’ whatever they experience or witness affects them differently because lets face it, they get to return to their own home and their own lives) so they can’t possible relate to the life that I live in a home that is not my own.

To be clear here, I’m just stating facts, not lodging a grievance. I signed up for who, what and where I am and do not regret any of it for a minute.

I just get lonely sometimes and wish there was someone to go through this experience with (other than Miss Cathy who, as the loved one with Alzheimer’s can’t be expected to do double duty as patient and pal).

As for the family, they call mom of course, to check on her and ask how she’s doing, but (unfortunately) it doesn’t seem to cross their mind to pick up the phone to check in on me.

So, after years of trying ‘this’ and doing ‘that’ to de-stress or re-relax, it got to a place (mentally and emotionally) for me where the isolation and “alone-ness” of it all was overwhelming. I needed more than just the occasional holiday or ‘day off’ to go out to a movie or dinner.

I knew that I needed to find someone I could talk to who could relate to what I was going through (which is a common lament among caregivers) other than bending the ear of friends far and near.

And friends, sympathetic though they may be, not being caregivers themselves, which I’m happy for them of course, still leaves me without someone to commiserate who’s going through the same thing and understands.

Sometimes, you just need someone to listen; no, more than listen, you need to be able to talk to someone who’s either walked in or is walking in your shoes and knows why at the end of the day you’re sore, can do no more but you do it anyway.

So, once again, I turned to Alz.org for help.

I knew that there were support groups out there, hell, I’d been advised to seek one out when this whole thing began but being the private (read-hardheaded) person that I am I thought I could ‘go it alone’ and apparently I succeeded because having ignored the advice to ask for help and seek out others for support, I am alone.

But, that was soon to change.