The article discusses the emotional and practical challenges faced by a woman named Jenna, who cared for her mother following a health crisis. Jenna struggles with her two older brothers who dismiss their mother's deteriorating condition and criticize Jenna's intentions. Despite Jenna's commitment to her mother's wellbeing, she faces family tension and emotional strain, highlighting common sibling behaviors in caregiving scenarios. The piece also underscores the importance of professional evaluations to address care needs and encourage collective responsibility among siblings in caregiving roles.
As soon as the therapy room door closed behind me, before I could even sit down, my single, 45-year-old client, Jenna, let loose a river of tears. Between her sobs, she managed to say, "I can't take it anymore. All I do is try to help everyone. They treat me like I'm a criminal. They're driving me crazy!"
Jenna's two older brothers saw things differently. When they visited from their homes, each about ½ hour away, Mom was on her best behavior. They found her to be recovering nicely and told Jenna to go back to work.
When Donna had come out of the hospital, with her new replacement hip and some mild cognitive deficits, Jenna was there to help get her back on her feet. Literally.
Of course, Jenna worried about her mother when she returned to work, only to find, two days in, that Donna had eaten almost nothing, was dehydrated, and had forgotten to take her morning pills two days in a row.
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