In the United States, more than 65 million people act as caregivers for their loved ones. Jessica Walker is one such caregiver — Jessica Walker is the wife of Clay Walker.
Clay was diagnosed at a pivotal moment in his life with relapsing remitting MS or RRMS. This is a lifelong, unpredictable and lifelong disease. Clay was 26 when he finished his fourth album and his oldest child had just been born.
MS is a common disease that affects approximately 400,000 Americans. Most people diagnosed with RRMS, the most common form of MS, are in their 20s or 30s. RRMS can cause fatigue, numbness, vision issues, stiffness, spasticity, and other symptoms such as sporadic bouts of fatigue.
Clay and Jessica have partnered up with Teva Neuroscience, Clay’s non-profit organization Band Against MS. “Share How You Care”To shine a light on the vital role of family caregivers
Clay’s busy schedule requires him to be proactive in managing his illness. Jessica, Clay’s wife, is an integral part of this. Jessica acts as a caregiver and ensures that Clay receives his RRMS treatment according to schedule. Clay and Jessica want to encourage caregivers to share what caring means to them, and encourage others to share their caregiver stories in recognition of National Family Caregivers Month.
Jessica is aware of the importance of the word “caregiver”There is no one right answer for everyone. There are some tips she uses to be a caregiver.
* Stay in the know, and learn as much as you can about your partner’s illness.
* Communicate and keep an open dialogue.
* Have a daily plan to reduce stress.
* Treat your partner like your partner; you don’t need to baby them — you need to try to be there for them. Most importantly,
* Have your own support system in place because it is important to take time for yourself.
Jessica’s caregiver tips can be found here. To participate in the program, click here “Share How You Care”campaign. Submit your caregiver story or that of someone you love by visiting www.BandAgainstMS.org.
