A friend for tea: we had a lovely teatime at the terrace.

@marguicha (222756)
Chile
November 19, 2015 4:53pm CST
Lili came to see me this evening. She comes after the soap opera and always bring me something to eat. This time it was a wonderful cake and I could not say no to it. So good for my diet! We checked each new plant in my garden. I have a beautiful young tree that she brought me last Winter. It is beautiful now and thriving. She has some big problems and I listen to her and have the big sister role. She has an only brother who is schizophrenic. She has to take care of him and of her mother as money goes and has to cuddle her mother as much as she can. But some times she cannot do more. We are not aware of how easy our lives are until we learn about these heartbreaking stories. Do you have someone near you with big psychiatric and neurological issues? How do you cope with it all?
7 people like this
7 responses
@sofssu (23662)
20 Nov 15
I have a friend like this who has a mentally retarded child and struggles with him.. her mother has Parkinson and she has a tough time between the two. Some of our friends chip in and help her from time to time.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
It seems that people with big mental problems are harder to deal with than people with other illness. I have another friend who has a highly retarded son and one of the parents cannot work outside of the house as the child (now 28 years old) has nowhere to be left.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
@sofssu I know. We usually complain for small things and don´t bother to look around. It´s a pity, because otherwise we could learn to count our blessings.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
20 Nov 15
@marguicha Its so heartbreaking to hear such stories we only can count our blessings and refrain from complaining.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166672)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Nov 15
Never say 'no' to cake. Sounds like a nice time. I live with a grandson with ODD and a daughter with bi-polar disorder.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166672)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Nov 15
@marguicha ....Yes, my daughter has quit for the same reasons several times/ Glad you enjoyed some cake. Didn't you know? Diets don't work
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
@celticeagle This one will have to work. I mean a sensible diet, little by little. I need it for health reasons.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
My eldest daughter has a bipolar disorder but it is managed fairly well while she takes her medication. The only problem is that when she feels well, she tends to stop taking them and her mood changes abruptly. And as you wrote, I didn´t say "no" to cake and my diet went down the drain
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
20 Nov 15
It must be so difficult for her because she has two of them . What if she's already old , what would happen to all of them .
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
My friend´s mother takes care of her son,but she is old. She would have a wonderful old age if it wasn´t for that. And my friend is aware that at the end of it all, she will have to take care of them. She already does up to a certain point.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
21 Nov 15
@marguicha God must be so happy of what she is doing for her love ones.
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
20 Nov 15
Life can be so difficult for families. It's good she has you o come and talk to
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
The least we can do for a friend is to listen to them when theyhave problems. I think that this is what friendship is about.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Nov 15
I'm fortunate in that i don't have anybody close that suffers like that. It must be very wearing to look after them.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
There are chronic aiments that are easier to deal will. But many of the mental or neurological illness are harder as they wear you out.
• Canada
20 Nov 15
It sounds as if you have a nice friendship with her. It's good you can listen and help her that way.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
It is easy for me. She is a lovely friend and I have fun when she comes. The least I can do is to listen to her voicing things she can tell noone.
• United Kingdom
19 Nov 15
I care for one of my sisters who schizophrenic, thanksfully we have an excellent support team in place and live in an area with a good mental health team. somedays are more challenging than others and this year has been a long struggle for her but we cope by taking it one day at a time.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222756)
• Chile
20 Nov 15
It is important that the community helps- Still pchizophrenia is not easy, either for the patient or for the people who love them.
1 person likes this