My 55-Year Journey: Lessons from Four Generations of Caregiving

By Katrina Yvonne Smith via Well Beings Share Your Caregiving Story

Hello, my name is Katrina Smith. My journey as a caregiver began when I was only five years old. For over 55 years, I have dedicated my life to caring for four generations of my family.

It started with my mother, Julia, who was blind from Retinitis Pigmentosa. My brother, Bruce, eventually inherited the same disease from her. Later, I cared for my sister, Sonja, through her treatment for stage 3 cervical cancer. Before her diagnosis, Sonja struggled with addictions to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco; during those difficult years, I stepped in to care for her children from 1974 until 1994. My heart for family also led me to help care for a great-niece for nine years.

Throughout this journey, I have been a lifelong Christian and have found purpose in supporting charities that help others, such as St. Jude, Wounded Warrior Project, Smile Train, and the American Red Cross, among many others. My brother Bruce shared this spirit of giving; even though his own life could not be saved, he was an organ donor, wanting to improve and save the lives of others. It is a beautiful legacy to remember, especially as I celebrate what would have been his birthday on March 19th.

While caring for my family, I was also dealing with my own health issues. I eventually found a wonderful support system through Henry Ford Health. Last year, for the first time, I participated in their virtual art gallery and had my work on display at their cancer center in Detroit. Sharing my “health condition” story as part of the Henry Ford Patient Advisor Program has been a vital part of my own healing.

If I could offer one piece of advice to fellow caregivers, it would be this: Save a little of yourself for you. In my journey, I gave so much of myself to others that I had nothing left to give myself. Now that I finally have the time to do things for me—to travel and explore—I find I am often too exhausted to do it. Don’t wait until the journey is over to find that balance.

Thanks,
Katrina