I was 17 when the caregiving began. My Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1974. Dad worked nights, so he took care of Mom with her chemo, doctors appointments and everything else during the day and I took over the “night shift” with Mom and younger brothers after I got home from school.

I was a caregiver for my late husband who had early-onset Alzheimer’s, my mother who had dementia, my father who had cancer, and my mother-in-law who had dementia. Years after my husband died, I met a lovely widower and enjoyed 3 wonderful years with him until I noticed signs of dementia. At first, I ignored them because I didn’t want it to be true, but it was. I knew I could not go down that road again, and my blood pressure was rising as I dealt with a familiar situation I thought I had left behind.

My journey of caregiving has been filled with so many ups and downs as many caregivers have gone through...It first started with my husband; in the beginning it was wonderful and happy times until he got sick mentally. Throughout our 30-something years, he's battled “bipolar disorder,” and I have gone along his battle each and every day.

My 84-year-old father had a heart attack and stroke seven years ago, right inside the doctor’s office. Although he spent a few weeks in a couple of area nursing homes, the majority of his care has come from his wife and myself. I have never had any training in caretaking and what I learned, I got from watching the nursing personnel at the nursing homes Dad was in.

The reason I ask that is because I currently take care of my disabled amputee (wheechair bound) grandmother; my husband who has suffered four strokes, but still keeps on and pushes, despite losing the peripheral vision on the right side; my mother-in-law who has had a hip replacement and still mourns the loss of my father-in-law; oh yeah, and then there’s me, when I can fit it in.

I began caregiving for my mother who has Huntington's disease about 2.5 years ago. She had a very serious fall in 2013 and after being hospitalized for a few days her neurologist required her to have 24 hour care. I lived about an hour away from her so I decided I would come down and help with her care to cut down on cost. We handled the scheduling and payment of her caregivers while she lived down in Denver.

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law have been with us since July. Mom is 92, uses a walker, and is mentally sharp. My sister-in-law is in her 50s, overweight, has bad knees, and rheumatoid arthritis. Due to difficulties in our finances, and the “death” of their old single wide mobile home, we all became one BIG FAMILY.

My parents, in their 80s, have elected through the VA program to have a HHC aide come to their home four days a week. My husband and I live 30 miles away, unfortunately my back problems keep me from helping them more. In late October 2014, they received another aide. (said, one has already stolen from them).

February 13, 2015 marked the one year anniversary of my grandfather passing away. I am 32 years old, and I cared for him for approximately three years along with other family and VNA services. My husband and I bought his house and moved in with him and his dog for what we thought would be a stress free situation. My husband and I had only been married for one year, and also started a family during this time. My grandfather was an easy going, appreciative 92 year old man who was legally blind and had limited mobility.