The document reflects on the author's experiences with caring for loved ones, particularly the unexpected passing of their grandfather and the subsequent care for their grandmother who battled cancer. It emphasizes the importance of self-care while caring for others, suggesting that neglecting one's own health can lead to serious consequences. The author concludes that caring for oneself is essential to effectively care for others, likening it to the safety measures taken on an airplane.

1. To Care for Others, You Must First
Care for Yourself

2. Saying Our Good Byes
About a year ago my grandfather
unexpectedly passed away.
No one knew that there was anything wrong
with him, for all that we knew he was quite
possibly the healthiest and most energetic
87 year old man we had every known.

3. Saying Our Good Byes
One day when he was at the leisure center
up the street from his house he collapsed.
An ambulance came but by the time they
had gotten him to the hospital there wasn’t
anything else they could do, he was gone.

4. The Doctor’s Discovery
At first they thought it could have been a
heart attack but after many tests the doctors
found out that the left side of my
grandfathers heart had failed – something
that had they known about, could have been
treated.

5. Taking Care of Your Loved Ones
Five years ago my grandma got diagnosed
with lymphoma cancer. Once she got sick
her and my grandfather always joked around
that she had taken care of him for the first
50 years of their marriage.

6. Taking Care of Your Loved Ones
Now it was his turn to take care of her for
the next 50 years.
My grandfather started cleaning, doing the
laundry and cooking.

7. Battling Cancer
After battling cancer for a couple of
years, my grandma was finally in remission
and doing well despite everything that she
had been through.

8. Battling Cancer
My grandfather still continued caring for her
and began to stop caring for himself.
There is no way to know for sure but maybe
had my grandfather cared for himself as
well, his heart might have been healthier.

9. Loving Others Means Loving
Yourself
It’s hard when you love someone so much
that all you want to do is care for them and
help them in any way possible.

10. Loving Others Means Loving
Yourself
Whether the person you’re caring for is a
parent, grandparent, sibling, child or friend
it’s important to remember that the best way
to care for them is if you’re at your best.

11. “When you take time to take care of
yourself, good things usually
happen.”
You stay healthier, you feel better about
yourself and you have more
energy, enthusiasm and can keep giving
care.
Like airplanes always say, you must first put
on your oxygen mask before assisting
others.