From the newspaper, the Caretakers’ journals on the passages in life, translated…
Over a decade ago, my father had multiple heart catheterization surgeries, he also had diabetes, and an enlarged prostate as well; my uncle was handicapped, after being resuscitated during his final stage of stomach cancer, he’d become bedridden for over two months, I’d fed him semi-liquid foods, and he was able to, pass away peacefully at home; grandma (great grandmother), although she didn’t have any major physical conditions, but as I took her glucose reading before and after meal, there goes, half a day. They’d left me one by one, in three, five years.
When my mother was forty-nine she had a subdural hematoma, after being in a coma for multiple months, she’s now, becoming immobilized, but she’s still, healthy, considering. Back then my younger brother had, remarried, and left his son from a previous marriage back home, and I’d taken care of my nephew from when he was four to current, he’s now, a sophomore in university. My eldest brother died young, my eldest, fourth eldest sisters, married, and although my second and third eldest sisters are still single, I’m an adopted son in the family, but, the burdens of looking after my family landed on just me.
In the 80s, I’d worked in a land developing firm in Taipei, with the downturn of economy, I’d quitted my job and went home to be with my family, I know, that this decade may be my most precious time, but I’d put family as my top priority because nobody can replace them, and so, I’d selected a flexible job with the hours as I take them, in sales.
The four elderly and a young child who’d, once circled around me, the years passed by; and now, there’s just, me and mom, the house became, quieted. And now, I’d wanted to, go back to my original work, earned my degree, and my certifications. I’d recalled those days which I took my mother to the doctors, to get her medications, and watched as she got her blood drawn, although it was burdensome, but the recollections were, sweetened, regardless.
The volunteers at the call center at Teacher Chang’s all gave me encouragements as they saw I needed, the smiles of children, the cuteness of the pets, it’d, given me strength, to fight for my families, and now, I’m, utilizing the “breather programs”, helping me through the lows of my life, the sun started to shine out.
And so, can you imagine the burdens this individual must have weathered through? S/he was the primary caretaker of her/his elderly mother, and, her/his uncle, as well as her/his own grandmother, helped them through their final passages in life, and now, as her/his nephew became adult, there’s only the person and her/his own elderly mother left, and this person will need to find a hobby, to occupy the time, because the elderly parent would eventually die one day, and, if the individual puts all her/his attention on taking care of everybody else, what would happen, if everybody else no longer needed her/him?
Life, the Obstacle Course 