Take Care of Yourself
It may sound odd to start with you. In the end, it is your loved one who is living with a heart disease, right? However, families can feel powerless or scared when faced with a cardiovascular disease, surgery or treatment. On top of worry or fear, you may also experience guilt, anger or concern about the financial consequences of the disease. If you feel anxiety, guilt or anger for extended periods of time, you may want to talk to someone you trust. It is really important that you recognize your emotional state and take steps to manage your own health.
Partners often feel responsible for the patient’s well-being. They may take on extra duties at home, may try to be available 24/7 and tend to forget to take care of themselves. It is crucial that you try to get enough sleep, follow a healthy lifestyle, and continue to do the things you enjoy. Also take some time to build a support network for yourself so that it is not just you looking after your partner. Your friends and family members may welcome the chance to help out.
Keep Talking
Communication is very important for keeping families and friends close and well-connected. It helps for everyone to talk honestly about how they are feeling. This includes everyone in the family, including children. Having open and honest conversations may not only reduce episodes of stress, it may also bring the emotional support that is needed by everyone in the family.
One of the most common complaints from people who have had a heart attack, for instance, is that their family and friends became over-protective or treat them as frail. Some people describe an abrupt change in their relationship as they take on the role of a nurse rather than a partner. Patients, in turn, may hide their feelings and thoughts to protect the partner from worrying. Successfully living with a heart disease requires being open and honest and recognizing each other’s needs.
