Sunrise Sunset – a Column by Jaime Christmas

persevering, stronger Jaime is a caregiver to her husband who is afflicted with the hereditary ATTR amyloidosis disease. Since his 2013 diagnosis, Jaime’s experience dealing with the effects of the disease on her husband and family have seen her go through many challenges in her vital role as caregiver. She’s required constant personal growth and flexibility to be successful in this complex, demanding, and stressful role. She is also the CEO and founder of the New Zealand Amyloidosis Patient Association, a not-for-profit charity formed in 2019 to promote and advocate for education, awareness, and treatment for patients and their families in New Zealand. Join her on this journey as she shares on the importance of being a caregiver, the role’s demands, how she’s risen above it all, and how everyone can do their part to ensure better outcomes for both the patient and caregiver’s health and well-being.

Caring for Yourself as a Caregiver

The melodic chirping of birds outside the window is louder this morning. This is because Auckland, the city in New Zealand where I live with my husband and our four children, returned to Alert Level 4, meaning lockdown, on Aug. 17 at 11:59 p.m. The coronavirus delta variant…

The Importance of Mental Pliability for Caregivers

I returned to the gym this week to work out. The last time I hit exercise classes and equipment was in 2016, shortly before my husband’s liver transplant, and three years after he was diagnosed with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis. Looking back, I have always been a gym junkie. I…

How to Prevent Burnout When Caring for a Loved One

Today, I’d like to talk about caregiver burnout, which extends beyond the physical burnout of completing various caregiving tasks. It also entails more than feeling helpless when a caregiver is unable to meet the expectations of the rest of the family. Caregiver burnout stems from the gradual mental and…

Doing Life Together When Diagnosed With Amyloidosis

In my role as a leader of the New Zealand Amyloidosis Patients Association, I’ve had the privilege of forging relationships with many wonderful human beings. The people I’ve met while running this charity, established in 2019, have enriched my life and pushed me further than I could’ve ever imagined.