A Different Normal

By Sona Mehring

When you’re at the height of receiving medical care, or feeling run down or exhausted from everything life throws at you, do you ever wonder – Where is everyone? Why isn’t anyone helping me?

I think we’ve all experienced this from time to time, whether it be during a health journey or other critical moment in our lives. What I’ve learned during my time raising three sons, caring for ill family members, and building my career is that when you need help, you have to ask.

There are people who care and want to be there to support you. But they either don’t know that you need help, don’t know what they can do, or aren’t sure how to offer their assistance.

In this blog post, my colleague, Katherine Johnson, writes about stepping up and offering support to those around you. And I fully agree with her. But I also think that when you need help, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it.

That’s why we created the SupportPlanner at CaringBridge. You can create your own online calendar and list tasks that you need help with like a ride to the doctor or mowing the lawn. Then the people you invite to view it can sign up for a task. This removes any awkward conversations or the dreaded “let me know how I can help” that you never really feel like you can follow up on.

What other services do you use in order to get the support you need? Is there anything you wish was available but haven’t found yet?

Sona Mehring is the founder and CEO of CaringBridge, a nonprofit offering many ways for people to care for each other during any type of health event. CaringBridge offers personal Sites, a SupportPlanner and an online volunteer community, the Amplifier Hub. Follow Sona on Twitter – @gogosona.