I was sitting next to my mother and father on our couch when he had to deliver the news I had hoped would only manifest itself as a worst case scenario in the deepest parts of the back of my mind. Not only had my mother finally been diagnosed with a dementia that will leave her inept and unable to speak towards the end of her life, she had been fired from her job- my three person family’s main source of income- , and had also lost the ability to drive. This was in 2013. Throughout my life, I have had to be strong in circumstances that most people would never even give a thought of happening to them. In the early stages of her mental illness, I was very small and my family didn’t know that anything was wrong; but I did. She would verbally and …show more content…
This is something they are still coming to terms with two years later - and some still don’t validate my side. Since then to now, I’ve had to be the person in my family that finds the solutions to problems. I’ve had to keep my grades up while balancing keeping the minimal food that we had in the house, along with my belongings safe from her - because once it’s gone you’ll never find it again. Also, an important challenge that makes me feel strong is that I have always tried to keep a positive outlook on my life and stay happy, which in itself is a battle. These experiences surrounding the hardship in my life are crucial to the person I am today because in the process of trying and failing, I’ve developed a thick skin, and I now know how far I can push myself to reach my goals successfully. I’m proud at my strength in being able to do this because at seventeen, I have essentially learned how to provide for myself and that has taught me life lessons that will be integral to how I live my adult life. From this hardship I have also learned to take great value in my heath and be thankful for what I have because nothing is ever set in stone. I am a strong person, it’s taken me awhile to realize this, and it’s the most important realization I’ve
When I was 16, I struggled with my mental health to the point where I thought about trying to end my life. I told them “I need help”. My family immediately worked on making me better and being there for me and my needs at the time. This was significant to my growth within me because I feel without my family being there for me I would not be where I am now. Before I tried to hurt myself, my family didn’t really care for checking in on my mental health and I myself wouldn’t update or talk to them either.
I am surrounded by darkness, confined in a paltry room its contents limited to a bed with a thin mattress and pillow. The air is dense and smells of blood. The brown walls smothered in writing reek of mulch. The only way to get in or out is through a small metal door that is locked from the outside. I feel like a caged animal, my every move being watched.
During my middle school years my family life had changed. My brother and my mother began to argue often; while the relationship between him and my father strengthened. I began to rely more on my
One of the biggest difficulties during this time was my brother was very sick when he was born, and he needed surgery to fix a problem with his stomach, and she was taking him back and forth from the doctor frequently plus my sister was only 18 months old. My mom stated, “I don’t know how I got through it, “while discussing this stage of her life but never felt isolated in any way. I was born later which a five year age gap between me and my brother. My mom told me, “After Eileen and John were born, I felt like I was going to be pregnant very year because they were born so close together. It was my biggest fear I would have all these kids, and get lost, but thankfully this did not happen.”
Now I see all the obstacles my family and I have had to overcome and it makes me feel proud that regardless of what the obstacle was they were able to make it this far. My goals and accomplishments are not just mine; they are my families as well. Taking this into consideration I’m not upset that they didn’t tell me. In-fact I appreciate them helping me cope and pursue everything that I was told I was limited to. Although I speak English and have a higher education than my parents I still see no social capacity even though it should exist.
I don’t think I would have been that strong. Even the hospital made me feel quite uneasy. The stuffy corridors and eerie silence are enough to bring me to tears. My grandmother astounded me with her amazing determination through her time of strife. Now, my grandmother lives with her same inspirational approach to life and the same amazing determination that I will always admire her
You were always loyal towards your family and never gave up even when the worst could’ve happened. You made sure that your family was together for as long as you could no matter what obstacle was set in front of you. It was unbelieveable that you had enough determination and strength to take care of your mother and sister in the concentration camps you went to. You did everything and anything to make sure that your family was safe and healthy for as long as possible even if that meant you could be risking your health which I found extremely admirable. When your mother sadly died, I believe it was very strong of you to still make sure your sister lived even when your sister was at her lowest point and was ill, could barely walk, you didn’t even think the worst of the situation.
Since I was young, I have been passionate about lending a hand, to a person I felt needed support and this passion helped shape what my future may hold. An event happened that has been instrumental in developing my character and guiding my choices ever since. It was a late summer night and it was almost midnight when my soccer game ended, After the game, I ran into the washroom because I was dying to ease myself. I took an excessive time and missed my ride home; they must have thought I had another ride home. My situation made me become bewildered at what to do next then, I thought to myself on giving my mother a call.
My senior year, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was given six months to live since she refused to take chemo and radiation. At that time, I was a teenager, recently kicked out of my house by my stepfather at the age of 16. Let me explain, I was at work, I had done nothing wrong it was my sister who he was mad at, but I paid the cost of her actions. My mother stayed there with him leaving us to our own device.
“If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t you’re right.” Ever since I was young, that remained one of my father’s favorite quotes to say, if it be a disagreement with a friend, or working on long division problem. While growing up, knowing that my siblings had not done quite well in school, and that was one of my biggest incentives to do well. I had grown up on one of the worst sides of town, living in an apartment complex with one of the worst reputations, living off the checks my father brought in from his back disability, and food stamps.
it was a summer night at mark walters house. When he woke up by an intruder in his house. He chased him outside with a baseball bat and as he was running away. The chase got out the house and mark struck him in the back of the head. With a loud crack and a blood splatter of the brains onto the ground.
Then I realized what is my support for my mother if I say “everything will be okay.” Everyone says it helps but it doesn’t actually help out the person who has the sickness. I realized this is basically my only way to get in touch with god and support my mother the best way
This was a turning point in my emotional self-awareness and being gentle with my stress load. I’m grateful to have had a support system of Mack and my mom during this
Growing up with mental illness they called me crazy, annoying, and angry. They looked at me differently. They’d even talk about it amongst themselves, but never offered guidance. That’s the problem with society these days. Everyone loves a party, but no one wants to clean up the mess.
Ereanna, I appreciate your post. Like you, my family also experienced a lot of stress while growing up. Even though our stories are drastically different, it is fascinating how when things become difficult within a family, regardless of what it is from, money, work, school. Everyone must pick up the task of taking care of certain jobs, jobs as simple as creating a grocery list. All members within the family really unite in order to keep it afloat.