I find myself stuck in a very similar position caring for my dad. He can’t be left alone for more than a day at a time, and I haven’t had a real break in two years.

I’m really feeling the need. I was so disappointed a couple of weeks ago. He had arranged to stay with my sister for a few days, and I was sooooo looking forward to a respite. Sadly for both of us, he caught an upper respiratory infection that made his COPD flare up, so a road trip was out of the question.

I’ve found myself drinking a couple craft beers a night and fighting to find energy somewhere. The only thing I’ve figured out so far is not to drink the beer. It makes things worse, not better — for me, anyway.

Sigh. Here’s hoping we both engineer some solutions!