Kelly H.

About Kelly H.

My story is. Different and the same as many others. It’s from the perspective of being a caregiver even when you are hurting. My mom was murdered when I was three and my dad raised me. He had a drug and alcohol problem and he was very paranoid and violent. I lived in fear my whole childhood. Once I became an adult, I left with just my clothes on my back and my nursing books. I was 21! Flash forward to when ai was 23 He stopped drugs and alcohol. He became a different person. He had mental health issues but without all the drugs and alcohol. He was less violent. He was still paranoid but mostly calmer. I cautiously let him in my life, mostly because of the trauma bind I had with him. Fast forward to my early thirties, two kids and a full time job as a mental health nurse and he gets bladder cancer. Waits to long for treatment sis needs to have his bladder removed. He moves in with me and I begin to take him yo appts, care for his needs. I juggled. And almost drowned a few times with all the work , being a mom and caring for him. My feelings would range from sadness to anger regarding the situation. I cared for him as I would have cared for a stranger who had no where to go. He had no one. And even though he wronged me , I prayed about it and found myself caring for him. He passed away i. My house and I had slept on the floor for weeks near his bed as he needed me all night long to change his bag or give him meds. I continued to work. I was e yin’s exhausted but I didnt know when he would pass so i kept waiting to take a leave from work, i learned we are capable of much more then we give ourselves credit for. I do not regret doing it. I am grateful for the strength I have and the knowledge I have of mental health and drug addiction. I am happy it been years later and I have healed and continue healing. Thank you for sharing the importance of caregiving. It’s hard, thankless and exhausting, I applaud anyone who does it. God bless you all!