Any healthy spouses out there?

I straddle both sides of the "disease" fence. I have Fibro, RA, Sjogrens, and possibly some other undiagnosed issues. I work full time and then go home to my daughter and her three very active little boys.

I am not her spouse but I do help her in any way that I can. She suffers from bipolar and fibro. I also believe she may have something more going on but with three small boys she doesnt have much time for the doctor run around (couldnt think of a better term - sorry).

I feel so bad some days. I hurt all over and am so exhausted but when I get home and can clearly see that she has had a bad day, I put my pains aside and step in to help her out. Because of the bipolar she has some really good days and then she can have some really bad ones. Sometimes I just want to tell her to suck it up and just get moving and stop whinning but I know that it is not her fault that she has these bad days.

I try to entertain the boys and help clean up dinner and I do most of the laundry to help her out. I try to give her a few hours once a week to go get her nails done or just to shop with out dragging the 3 younguns.

It is hard to care for some one that is not well, especially if you have your own illnesses to battle. I just live one day at a time with the hope that the next day will be a good one, for both of us.

So sorry that you and your loved one are battling this illness. May tomorrow be your better day.

Thanks Denita. I know the sick have it worse than the healthy but it's not easy being caregiver to my best friend who isn't the same person anymore, single parent, working two jobs, and sitting at home more or less by myself every single night. Is this it for the rest of my life?