I Am a Caregiver
I am currently in a relationship with the most beautiful person I think has ever been placed on this Earth. He has epilepsy, Dissociative Identity Disorder, major depression, and schizoaffective disorder. His mother has passed away, he has no relationship with his father, and his family members have either disowned him or moved away. He has been homeless many times over the past few years, and staying with friends during the other times. I met this man in August of last year, and I have been taking care of him ever since.
I am a full time pharmacy technician, and a full time student as well, studying to become a registered nurse and eventually a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. My days start at 8 am and end at 11 pm, but the remainder of my time is taken up by him. I feel so blessed to have my eyes opened to the level of love and nurture and care that goes into being someone's caregiver. I am just 22, and he is 25, and I feel like my role in his life as both his fiance and his caregiver has taken our relationship to a deeper level.
Being a caregiver for someone with epilepsy, and some severe mental disturbances, is a humbling experience. I am a nurturing person, and having to care for him while he is sick is something that I take great pride in doing. When I first met him, he told me about the epilepsy. It came up in a conversation when we were talking about driving somewhere, and he told me that his epilepsy was very poor managed, and his seizures prevent him from ever being able to drive. But I never knew about the mental disturbances. Time would reveal that all of the diagnoses that doctors had made over the past years were indeed true. His major source of depression is the loss of his mother, who was his only real family that he ever knew in this world. I learn more and more about him and his past as he continues to open up to me on a daily basis.
The most interesting experience I have had is witnessing the multiple personalities. It was 3 AM on a Wednesday night and we were sitting in the local emergency room department, after he started having a bad fit of convulsions. I was tired and stressed from work and school, and on top of all of that I was getting the flu. I was beat down and tired, and the stress of helping him remain calm had my entire body shaking. I began to cry, and his immediate reaction was to loose it. He began to yell, and had to be restrained by the male nurses and security working that shift. He kept begging me not to cry, to keep smiling and believe that he was going to be okay. Through tears, I told him that everything was fine, and for him not to worry. He worked himself into a fit, where he was writhing on the bed, and suddenly his body stopped. He looked over at me and said, in a completely different and monotone voice, 'I had to put him to sleep...he couldn't handle the stress.'
Now he had told me before that he had multiple personalities, but it was during a playful conversation, and I had thought nothing of it. When I witnessed this different personality at the hospital, he informed me that his name was Phantom and he only comes out when my baby feels threatened. Since then, I have met another personality named Jonathan, who is a younger, wild, nymphomaniac type of personality.
At first I thought it was making me crazy...but I realize that this is all a part of being a caregiver. When you give your word, to vow to take care of someone in sickness and in health, you have to make it through the tough times as well as the good times. I'm sure I will have more stories, but it's encouraging to read some of the other experiences. Everyday I wake up and see his peaceful face sleeping, I'm reminded of why I do this. I love him, and I love taking care of him.
I am a full time pharmacy technician, and a full time student as well, studying to become a registered nurse and eventually a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. My days start at 8 am and end at 11 pm, but the remainder of my time is taken up by him. I feel so blessed to have my eyes opened to the level of love and nurture and care that goes into being someone's caregiver. I am just 22, and he is 25, and I feel like my role in his life as both his fiance and his caregiver has taken our relationship to a deeper level.
Being a caregiver for someone with epilepsy, and some severe mental disturbances, is a humbling experience. I am a nurturing person, and having to care for him while he is sick is something that I take great pride in doing. When I first met him, he told me about the epilepsy. It came up in a conversation when we were talking about driving somewhere, and he told me that his epilepsy was very poor managed, and his seizures prevent him from ever being able to drive. But I never knew about the mental disturbances. Time would reveal that all of the diagnoses that doctors had made over the past years were indeed true. His major source of depression is the loss of his mother, who was his only real family that he ever knew in this world. I learn more and more about him and his past as he continues to open up to me on a daily basis.
The most interesting experience I have had is witnessing the multiple personalities. It was 3 AM on a Wednesday night and we were sitting in the local emergency room department, after he started having a bad fit of convulsions. I was tired and stressed from work and school, and on top of all of that I was getting the flu. I was beat down and tired, and the stress of helping him remain calm had my entire body shaking. I began to cry, and his immediate reaction was to loose it. He began to yell, and had to be restrained by the male nurses and security working that shift. He kept begging me not to cry, to keep smiling and believe that he was going to be okay. Through tears, I told him that everything was fine, and for him not to worry. He worked himself into a fit, where he was writhing on the bed, and suddenly his body stopped. He looked over at me and said, in a completely different and monotone voice, 'I had to put him to sleep...he couldn't handle the stress.'
Now he had told me before that he had multiple personalities, but it was during a playful conversation, and I had thought nothing of it. When I witnessed this different personality at the hospital, he informed me that his name was Phantom and he only comes out when my baby feels threatened. Since then, I have met another personality named Jonathan, who is a younger, wild, nymphomaniac type of personality.
At first I thought it was making me crazy...but I realize that this is all a part of being a caregiver. When you give your word, to vow to take care of someone in sickness and in health, you have to make it through the tough times as well as the good times. I'm sure I will have more stories, but it's encouraging to read some of the other experiences. Everyday I wake up and see his peaceful face sleeping, I'm reminded of why I do this. I love him, and I love taking care of him.
By:
Waiting4Zion
Age:
22-25
,
Female
