Pain is a very subjective thing. Physical pain can be anywhere in the body, at various levels for individuals whether it real or psychosomatic, short of enduring, But it is recognized, validated, and treated by the medical community.
Caregiving pain is another story and is often overlooked, ignored or bypassed by doctors busy focusing on the patient, not the caregiver. But ask any caregiver and they know about caregiving pain. It may be co-mingled with physical ailments, it may come and go, but one thing for sure, it is real. The pain of watching someone suffer, linger, go through chemo and/or various medical treatments, be placed on hospice or die, is real and gut wrenching.
So often caregivers suffer in silence because it is hard to describe this non-medical pain that wraps around the body like a bathrobe, but offers no comfort, and fills the mind with a sadness that penetrates the soul and spirit. Caregivers can articulate frustration, exhaustion, overwhelmingness but this elusive pain that takes over, is often too difficult to describe.
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