Nursing Diagnosis: Caregiver Role Strain

Although I love my job, and I love being a nurse, I like to leave my work at work. Well, that hasn't happened this week. Michael is sick, and if you asked him, he would tell you that this is the worst cold he has EVER had. I have tried my hardest to provide compassionate care to the love of my life, but to be honest...I AM SO OVER IT!!! I am accustomed to providing care for babies. Newborn babies cry, but only when something is actually wrong with them, and they can usually be calmed with a few simple interventions: a bottle, diaper change, or pacifier. Last night, he was running fever and complaining like crazy so I decided that I needed therapy QUICK! I convinced him that I was going to do something nice for him (wink, wink), and after a long drive around town with the sunroof back, windows down, and radio up really loud, I went to McAlister's and got him a bowl of his favorite potato soup, a piece of chocolate spoon cake, and a sweet tea. I delivered this meal to him in bed on a TV tray accompanied by decongestants and ibuprofen...he never realized that I was drugging him!!! I listened to him moan and groan about how awful he felt, and I did everything I could to make him feel better, but I must say that the highlight of my week was when I pulled the thermometer out of his mouth this morning and it said 97.5!!!!! YES!!!!! He is going to work, and won't be staying home with me!!
I don't want anyone to think that I don't love my husband...I love him SO VERY MUCH, but I, too, am suffering from an illness. I am experiencing a diagnosis that I learned about in nursing school: caregiver role strain. The symptoms include exhaustion, anger, irritability, and lack of sympathy and are usually induced by the man in your life being sick! Some sinple interventions that can help to treat this diagnosis include:
1. a day by yourself without the ill person.
2. a trip to White House Black Market, TJ Max, and Marshalls with the ill person's debit card.
3. a Sonic Route44 Diet Coke
So, to the women are reading this, next time you find yourself providing care for the man in your life who is about to die because he has a simple cold, try the interventions listed above. I promise they will satisfy!!!