My story is still difficult, I feel I have achieved so much, and still so much work to accomplish.
I was raised by a single mom. She took care of everything and had 3 of us to take care of. My mom took care of my grandfather before he passed away. Then did her best to take care of her mom. My grandmother moved in with my mom and on a small budget did her best.
I moved to Florida to be with my mom in 2013. I am a single mom. No help from the father. He was abusive to me and I got out. I jumped from home to home, job to job. I had to live in a coalition for about 3 months. It was the worst time in my life. I got into a car accident lost my truck and my job. In 2015 I was given the opportunity to become a certified home health aide, and started working for Home Instead senior care. I had to move out of my mom’s place in my car and 2 days at a homeless shelter. I worked my butt off, started making decent money and ended up paying all bills for myself my mom grandmom and my son. I’ve work a max of 82 hours in 1 week. My mom found a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home for rent. Soon after we moved in she was unable to work due to anxiety and depression also my grandmother couldn’t be left by herself for very long. I went from not confident about anything to I am supergirl I can do this.
I am home Instead’s caregiver of the year for the southeast region 2019 was given the chance and went to Omaha Nebraska for the convention. I turned 31, 5 days after I got home and hurt my back moving a client. I wasn’t making the money I had been, and needed to be making.
I have been taking care of everything and it gets so hard not having the energy to do anything forcing myself to take a shower and eat. I give all my paycheck to my mom to pay bills I keep 100 for gas till I get paid. My company gave me a life insurance policy to help if anything happened to me. I have had thoughts of wanting to get in a bad accident, wanting something to happen to me, that maybe my son and mom would be better off, but I feel I need to take care of things so I keep pushing taking whatever hours I can 12 hours here 15 hours there. I have tried to apply for government assistance but I make too much for any help.
This is nothing compared to some people’s situation, but this is more then most people my age would do for family, and my family hasn’t helped with anything. Thank you for reading there is a lot I haven’t said, but I’m glad I was able to share it with someone. I’m trying my best and I’m doing the best I can. My favorite saying I found on a Dove chocolate wrapper that I have saved is “You can do anything, Not everything.” Thanks again for reading/listening.