If I'm not there protecting her, she'll get worse. I can tell you honestly it took me months to repair the damage I had done to myself. But it's not. A wise caregiver knows that loving yourself and taking care of yourself, is just as important as loving and caring for the person who is ill. Needing time to 'renew' doesn't make us bad or less loving, it's actually the exact opposite.
Time away restores our confidence.
It rebuilds our strength and give us peace of mind. It takes that landslide of doubt and exhaustion and gives us a chance at new beginning.