Stories from Caregivers: Yvette from IDAHO
ID
Yvette
FROM IDAHO
I cared for both of my parents. My mom was born in 1937 and my dad was born in 1933. Mom had an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis. She was crippled at the age of 41. He had a double stroke in 1995 and was paralyzed on one side. At the VA, they helped me do physical and speech therapy with my dad. His right side was paralyzed but he could walk with his left. They helped me check for proper lifting and transferring. I had a wheelchair rack put on the back of my car. I never had a day off. Not only was I taking care of my two children and my parents, I was taking care of my sister who is 19 years younger than me. A good day was filled with laughter and joy. We laughed all the time. We were a very comical family. I taught my dad how to write with his left hand, at the Macaroni Grill, because you could right on the tables. I had to teach him because he was paralyzed on the right side. The tough time was the exhaustion - the constant lifting, the lack of sleep. I had epilepsy. When you have a seizure disorder and lack of sleep, there was a delicate balance. I needed respite care. There were no resources in the community. I ignored my health and took care of them. I tried to work a part-time job outside the house. I worked at K-Mart around Christmas time. I thought maybe that would help. It did give me a break from caregiving. I was lucky to have had flexibility with my work. My boss understood: My parents were my number one priority.
