As caregivers, we find ourselves simultaneously impossibly busy and spending lots of time waiting around. We’re exhausted, but then we’re up all night staring at the ceiling.

What’s keeping you up these days?

All the work that needs to be done to the house. I’m in charge of finding reliable tradespeople too. I must maintain a safe environment. Always a monkey on my back. – EO

Safety of those I love. I am having difficulty with that since my husbands accident. – TW

I wanted to go home for my brother’s memorial service. It’s the first loss in our family circle. He was the youngest. – JS

How I can be a better father to my three special needs boys. I fret over it so much I get LOST in the pages of this here book cuz this is the only place in my reality I can run too without leaving my sons. I can’t leave my boys but they deserve better than a distracted overwhelmed sperm donor. They need their daddy. I feel guilty AF but I can’t stop. How do I become a better less distracted daddy? – NS

Wishing I had more happiness. Since my sons’s injury that happiness factor has disappeared–my personal happiness; my son’s happiness–the fact that my son’s friends stopped coming to visit. – DA

I’m giving birth any day now and I’m so terrified. The plans of getting my two little ones somewhere quickly is bothering me, my dogs having a place to go is bothering me, how my delivery is gonna go is really bothering me… Just so much I’m worried about. – MP

My daughter’s upcoming surgery to put a g-tube in. I’m the queen of over thinking! – DC

His next hospital stay ? The parking fee is 15$ a day! His last stay was 13 days=$165! His fixed income SSD cannot support us as it is now! I’m his 24/7 caretaker! 3 of his meds are mostly covered by NKF (kidney x 2009)! I’m not allowed an income or coverage drops! ? – RM

How do i make my house handicap assemble for my husband with no money. – SL

How I’m ever going to be able to cope with living with my Moms dog since bringing Mom to our home. I am not a dog person and it’s not going well. – JS

My husband was ill, for almost 20 years, before he passed. He needed constant care, and I was working, full time, as well as caring, for him. Two of our adult sons moved, with us, to another city, about an hour from our home town, so that we would be able to better care for him, and get him to routine dialysis and medical appointments. After my husband’s death, my sons and I stayed together, while they looked for better jobs, as we decided to stay in our new place. It was a sad, and confusing time, for us, as my husband passed, only one month after we moved here. I decided to call Dr. Laura, for advice, on how to move forward. I said, on live radio, that I was a widow, living with my adult kids, in my home. In literally, 15 seconds, she ripped me a new one, yelling at me, telling me I was the reason this country is so bad, and stated that I must not have read any of her books. She screamed, then hung up on me. My sons work, we remained together, to support each other, and I, personally couldn’t afford to live, on my own. I feel horrible and guilty, for being a rotten parent. I constantly hear that woman yelling at me. – LR

I wonder why me, being the oldest if 6 kids is the only care taker of my 85 year old mom. One is dead. One is who knows where. One is an alcoholic. The youngest 2 live 400 miles away and seen to think they are doing something great by visiting every 4 months. I’m just stinking tired. I’m nearly 65 yo. The 2 youngest are 13 and 15 years younger then me. They work, but do not have children. – DK

I tend to over think everything But right now I am overthinking what will happen to my son who happens to be disabled when my husband and I are no longer here. – CV

How I have no life and I feel selfish thinking this. Mom reared two children by herself. I should be able to take care of her and not complain. More overthinking is about how no matter how much I do for her, it is not enough. Last, what it will be like without her. – CW

Money, how am I going to pay the bills. – DA

What I need to do, clean, organize (including my to do list) as well as getting a new attorney after much $$$ was spent on one who was supposed to be the best in elder law and really did not do a good job for our family situation. – RR

EVERYTHING! Work, paying bills, auto repair, sitter service, the silly things mom does, maintaining the house and lawn, pets, shopping for necessities, taking time for a vacation, my own rest time and sleep. The list goes on, but it is overthinking about everything. Sleep. What’s that? – BG

My career and living arrangements right now. Been getting my life back together after caregiving for my mother. – AG

What to do with the house, how to get mom to go to adult day care, or how to pay for caregivers since I have nothing, how to put her in a home, or whatever… it’s endless. No decisions regarding me. Must always think about her. – GE

Everything too. I’m feeling sad that my dad was sad thinking about how my mom has passed. Seven years ago now, but to him it feels like last year. ? – LG

I survived my lower back surgery. Rehab for the next six months. Now what do I do? I can’t lift more than 10 pounds. I’ve been a CNA all my adult life. – DA

How I can earn enough to cover mom’s medical and daily expenses. How I’m probably not doing enough even if I feel I’m perpetually exhausted. – RR

If my mom passed, I would be so ashamed of this house. Hard trying to find the time to do it. Sounds shallow, but the truth. – PC

How to go to the ER alone without my dad, but still make certain he’s safe w/o risking my own health. – BS

My mom is having the longest episode of atrial flutter that she’s ever had outside a hospital. I’m monitoring her, but scared. – NL

What do I not overthink is a better question. Some days I can’t even come up with a dinner idea cause I overthink what would be easier, better, quicker. – AH

Whether or not I’ve done everything I could to prevent my mom from dying. ? – AM

What a horrible person I’ve become! ? – SG

People that are just plain selfish and care more about themselves. – LF

My future.. am I going to end up as Wal-Mart greeter cause of no job or skills in 8 yrs… lacking education and socializing. Being a caregiver is taking a toll on my health. – DB