I took a "First Responder" course several years ago and the first thing they told us was that we had to take care of ourselves FIRST, because we would NOT be able to help anyone else if WE were not OK.

It is very admirable to want to help family and others but you DO need to take care of and protect your own household members, too.

I don't have the gift of words as some here do, but I wanted to say that you can only do so much before you have to safeguard yourself.

So often, we do not realize just how blessed we are until we learn the plight of others. Not just those that have problems but also the caregivers plight as well. It is a difficult position on both sides of the coin.

Oh, I hope this comes out the way I mean it, from the heart and caring. I just don't express myself very well sometimes and things come out all wrong. My fingers type without the aid from brain activity sometimes and what is in my heart doesn't translate well onto paper.