Aarp i heart caregivers: gena from california

1501819200 CA Gena FROM CALIFORNIA I was always so close to my grandparents and they were practically like my second parents. Growing up we lived about two hours away from my grandpa and

grandma. We drove up to see them at least three times a week, and they would also drive down to see us quite a bit. We were extremely close but little by little my grandparents stop coming

due to their age so we would make trips up there which I loved as a child. When I was 15 years old, we noticed my grandma would forget the easiest things to remember and her behavior started

to change. My parents took my grandmother for a checkup and unfortunately the doctor diagnosed her with dementia. He said it will gradually lead to Alzheimer's. It was completely

heartbreaking for my family and extremely hard for me as a child to think that my grandma would forget me. My grandparents needed a caregiver but couldn't really afford one. My parents

were completely tied up at work so I promised I would homeschool at my grandparents house in order to help my grandparents. As the months went on, her health and memory terminated rapidly.

Being so young and taking care of someone you love so much is hard but most of all rewarding. We laughed and talked. I managed her medication reminders and prepped her meals. I found my

grandma wandering outside in the middle of the night and it was extremely hard but I wouldn't change it for the world. One day, my grandfather was complaining about his stool. I've

always noticed he had to run to the bathroom quite a bit. We weren't too concerned, but we took him to the doctor. I was 17 at the time. The doctor came back and told us he had colon

cancer. My heart sank. We both didn't understand why. We walked out of the doctor's office with our heads down, but I knew I had to be strong and I knew that was coming. Gradually

he got worse. He didn't have an appetite and always had to run to the bathroom because he didn't feel well. On top of all that, one night he ran out to grab milk during a rain

storm. It had been over an hour and the store was just around the corner so I looked outside and saw the van but he wasn't around. I ran outside and he was in the middle of the street.

He had slipped and broke his hip and said he had been out there for a good half an hour with cars flying by him. He said he was lucky he didn't get hit. I quickly grabbed the wheel

chair, got him up with all my might and then ran to the phone and called 911. He had to stay in the hospital for hip replacement surgery. At that time, grandma got real bad and got admitted

to the same hospital. We were able to get them in the same hospital room and a few days later my grandma passed away. The week after that, my grandpa was able to go home where he also passed

away. I was alone and broke and didn't have a direction. I knew I couldn't stop. I loved that I was able to take care of them. So, I became a CNA.