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This week will be in a bit of a disarray. It will also serve as an example of how and why dealing with family is difficult if you Work from Home.
I have been called into family service at least for this week. Little Sis was just called back to work and there is no one to babysit Pop.
Alright, I’ll try to explain a little better what the situation is and how it got to this point.
Mom died on December 13. I had to take time off from work in order to assist with the Funeral arrangements and all of the other problems with insurance, organizing plans for family members from throughout the country and the like. Granted, my Little Sis did most of the actual accommodations and sleeping arrangements because she lives in my parents house. But, since I am the closest geographically, I had to be the one that helped Little Sis out.
Now, Pop, at 86 is really starting to deteriorate. Before Mom died, he was in the hospital with pneumonia, but was on the road to recovery. He was doing fairly well. He could walk with his cane, go up and down the steps for bed or bath.
Little Sis was laid off shortly after that from work (which was around the corner from the house) and was around whenever Pop needed something. Since she was there all of the time, especially since Mom’s death he has grown more and more dependent on her. But she has been called back to work for the same company in a town a few miles away. She can’t be there at his beck and call.
Pop is not doing too well at this point. I think he wants to be with Mom. Now that Little Sis is back to work, Pop seems to need help doing everything. He can’t make it up or down the steps. He is wearing those Adult Diapers (which need changing more often than a 2 year old). You get the picture.
I will not bore you with all the details, but it is more time consuming than I ever imagined. Raising a kid is nothing like raising a parent.
As I have time, I will post more on the ins and outs of family demands on the Work at Home Big Brother (Son) when the family is in need of serious help throughout the week.
Bear with me. Tomorrow, I will try to write about the necessity of preparing to do Business while occupied with family matters. (This may end up being a short series)
If you would like to share a story about Working at Home and having to deal with Family Matters, please leave a comment or your might consider being a Guest Writer and write a post to share with us all.
[tags]Work at Home,Family[/tags]
5 Comments
Awh Joe – Not to the extent you’re dealing with, but I do know all too well what you’re talking about.
It’s not easy. My prayers are with you and your family. Somehow we all find ways to dig deep and grab ahold of that inner strength everyone talks about, right when we need it. I’m sure you will as well.
All my best…
I to have encountered this particular problem. You would think an entreprenuer with a laptop with wireless capability would not have a problem in this area but I was shocked to discover our local hospital didn’t have free wi-fi, even in the food court. During the early part of Feb. my mother-in-law was in the hospitial for cancer surgery (thankfully she is doing much better now and after my wife and business co-owner was very sick with a bad stomach virus. Needless to say was got a bit behind in our work and I think the situation is only going to get worse in the next few years and I forsee the both of us have to give more care to our parents. Their needs to be a better way to support entreprenuers/small business owners during these difficult times. This lifestyle does give us more freedom to care for others but it can be harder to provide for ourselves.
Hey Lara,
Hey Patrick,
Thanks,
It’s getting tougher as he gets older. He’s going down hill pretty fast and I don’t really think he is going to last much longer.
I think we’re going to have to set up a bed downstairs or (and we don’t want to) put him in a home.
As I said, I think he wants to be with mom.
Thanks for your kind words.
Joe
Hey Joe. Sorry about your mom. My wife’s mother passed away last May/06 from cancer, and she wasn’t diagnosed until end of Jan/06. Except for the diapers part, it was quite downhill and fast. I’m still about 85% recovering from the effect it had on my family and business ventures, and really didn’t catch up until last Oct/06. Although it “sounds” like a good idea, writing a short series about it .. in afterfact I would recommend that you just worry about Joe .. and Joe’s family. I practically started the Battling-Series based on that and another event, thinking to help myself and others cope but honestly, none of the family thought much of it .. and life’s too short to get a blog entry about everything (at least a published blog entry .. I did find that ‘drafts’ helped).
Hey HART,
Thanks for your insight on this. It’s the type of thing you have to play by ear, but friends advice always helps.
I have actually reconsidered the posts in a series. I will probably write something about Preparing for the unexpected as best as you can, but not about the situation itself.
As you did, I wrote a couple of drafts that will Never be Posted, but they did help me.
Thanks again.
Joe