Martha S. says she was a ‘reluctant’ caregiver of her mother, a recovering alcoholic.
Even though her mom had been sober for thirty-five years, Martha still remembered being a young teen cooking dinner while her mom was passed out on her bed. Yet as Martha spent more time caring for her mother, her reluctance melted away. She learned that caring for her mother was about more than doing things for her – it was also about just being with her. Even when her mother lost her language, they still communicated through touch, facial expressions, and body language.