I’m really struggling with watching my parents grow older. My mom’s memory has declined a lot, and walking has become difficult for her. She’s not active anymore—she mostly stays at home, only doing small chores around the house. She has very little motivation to do anything beyond that. My dad takes care of so much for her, and I try to keep her going by spending time with her, but our conversations feel so different now.
As for my dad, his health is okay—not great, but manageable. I’ve mentioned before how hard it is to watch him face the physical limitations that come with age. He’s always been the kind of dad who could do it all—fix anything, carry anything, help with anything. He’s been my rock, always there to support me. I don’t think he ever imagined he’d still be helping his 40-year-old daughter with Jeep mods—but knowing him, I’m sure he secretly loves it.
My dad and I are both facing new health challenges right now. I’m scared—but thankfully, mine isn’t life-threatening, as long as I go through with the surgery. My dad, on the other hand, recently had to see a doctor because something just isn’t right. But we don’t really know the full story. We’re still waiting on the results, and I’m really anxious. I asked directly if it could be cancer, but right now, there’s no way to know for sure. All we can do is wait.
My parents have always kept us somewhat in the dark when it comes to their health. As they’ve gotten older, it’s become even harder to get real updates from them. It’s frustrating and worrying not knowing what’s really going on.
I constantly have to push just to be included in their health matters—always asking questions, always double-checking their medications. It feels like a constant battle just to stay informed and make sure they’re okay.
I have siblings, but they’ve gotten used to not having to worry about our parents. Our parents have always been the caregivers, the ones holding everything together. My sister, in particular, is the most distant—there’s still tension between her and our mom, and even now, at our age, they still argue. It’s like some things never changed. I’ve told her time and time again… our parents won’t be here forever, and one day we’ll wish we had these moments back.
In our later years, I’ve been able to build a really strong relationship with my parents—and I’m so grateful for that. It hasn’t always been this way, but now, I truly cherish the bond we have.
I don’t know what the future holds. I’m grateful that, up to this point, we’ve been blessed with a healthy family. But with age, things inevitably change. Part of me is bracing for that moment when everything shifts—waiting for the other shoe to drop—while the other part is just trying to keep life feeling as normal as possible.