I became my brother’s caregiver in 2021. We’re 3 years apart, so I guess you could say we’ve always bonded. Our parents are aging, and their mental health is declining, so I guess I always knew I would be caring for him eventually.
My spouse and I just turned 31, and I get scared every day thinking about our family’s future. I always thought I’d be a mother to my own child someday. I fear that having my own child will mean pushing my brother to the sidelines. I fear I won’t be able to balance it all on top of having a baby: work, marriage, managing the household, arranging all my brother’s appointments, his meals, his school, his daily needs, our dog’s needs… It feels like so much already. I don’t even make time for hobbies anymore. I don’t know who I am.
My brother has suffered enough neglect from our family, and hasn’t had any stability for the past several years before living with my husband and I. I feel like he’s finally in a good place. Now I feel hopeless, because I am physically and mentally drained constantly. In all honesty, I have spoken with a therapist in the past…it helped to an extent. I just don’t want to spend the time and money right now when I know it could be going towards our daily needs.
Caregiver: Kaylee Country: USA