{"product_id":"9780897936057","title":"The Caregiving Wife's Handbook: Caring for Your Seriously Ill Husband, Caring for Yourself","description":"A month after proposing marriage, Diana Denholm's husband was diagnosed with colon cancer and later congestive heart failure. Following a heart transplant several of her husband's body systems began failing forcing Diana to become his primary caregiver for more than a decade. \u003ci\u003eThe Caregiving Wife's Handbook\u003c\/i\u003e is a step-by-step communication guide to help women maintain emotional, physical and financial health in their unique role as caregivers to their dying husbands.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWomen are suffering physical, emotional and financial burnout as the United States' leading caregivers. Of the 65 million caregivers in the U.S., 66% are women, and these numbers will only increase as the population ages. And while statistics and resources abound for caregivers in general, very little exists for women in their unique role as caregivers to their dying husbands.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTraditionally, caring for a dying husband has been seen as a \"wifely duty.\" Most wives don’t label themselves, and aren’t labeled by others, as caregivers. But advances in medical technology are making this distinction an imperitive since women are under more stress as caregivers than at any other time in history. Although there are generic similarities in caretaking, caregiving for a dying husband is distinctly different, and the longer the dying process, the more complex the problems.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a husband is in the process of dying for many months or years the experience is quite different than a husband's sudden death. On top of dealing with the tragedy, the wife must figure out how to make life work. Sometimes a woman is married to the love of her life and sometimes not. Some marriages strengthen, while others disintegrate. Some women are in abusive relationships and find the abuse continues, and even increases, during these times, while others find, much to their surprise, that they become the abusers. Still some will start or increase substance abuse and others will have affairs to get by.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Caregiving Wife's Handbook\u003c\/i\u003e aims to help women get through their husbands' illness and death with compassion, emotionally whole and without regret by helping them communicate clearly—and in steps—about issues affecting this unique caregiving relationship.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWithout specific direction, many women find themselves over the top with stress as their lives change radically. As a board certified medical psychotherapist and primary caregiver, Diana Denholm recognized the need for a step-by-step process to help women communicate with their husbands to avoid irreparable damage and regret.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Caregiving Wife's Handbook,\u003c\/i\u003e you will learn:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo ask questions you may not realize you need to ask\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe issues that bother you and a method for categorizing them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat you should and shouldn't discuss with your husband\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to make and prepare for a date to talk about difficult topics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat to do if your husband won't talk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo create \"understandings\" with your husband\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to deal with his family\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eYou will also learn survival tips from the case histories of Joyce, Fran, Tina, Jean, Susan, and Mary. Their experiences will help you:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChoose roles you should take and those you should avoid\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstand what is “normal” in what you’re experiencing and feeling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTake care of yourself so you can survive and even have fun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImplement do’s and avoid don’ts to make your life simpler\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBalance with greater ease\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eOther topics addressed are:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSex life\/intimacy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCurrent and future finances\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFatigue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSleep\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHousehold duties\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJob responsibilities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIrresponsible behaviors\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnrealistic expectations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eThe challenges of this time are endless and extreme and the reality often isn’t the beautiful and revered journey often portrayed. When a husband is dying of a long-term illness, the gift of time can allow us to prepare and say all the loving things we need to say, but it can also provide a lot of time for severe stressors and problems to develop. These problems and stressors can be debilitating for the caregiver and provide too many opportunities to say and do things we might regret. \u003ci\u003eThe Caregiving Wife's Handbook\u003c\/i\u003e will give you the tools and support needed to get through your husbands' illness and death with compassion, emotionally whole and without regret.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLet \u003ci\u003eThe Caregiving Wife's Handbook\u003c\/i\u003e support you amidst the grief—all the way through the Final Chapter.","brand":"TURNER PUB CO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42869621063741,"sku":"9780897936057","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0603\/0838\/9949\/files\/9780897936057_p0.jpg?v=1771583711","url":"https:\/\/www.tatteredcover.com\/products\/9780897936057","provider":"Tattered Cover","version":"1.0","type":"link"}