LemonjuiceSenior Contributor
My life as a worn out shoe.
My nephew graduated from highschool today. Brought over his girlfriend. If you want to know what my life has been like for the last 18 years with my nephew.... he went up to his room and she and I were chatting on the couch. Her phone beeped and it was him asking her to go upstairs. I told her it was fine, to go, and she turned to me and said no, not yet. Then she said, "I really don't know how you have coped with him. He just drains the life out of you." He is moody, gaslights, explodes over the smallest things, puts you in double-binds, it's exhausting. He can go from being the most loving and sensitive person to the most abusive, narcissistic and explosive person.
17 years of taking care of my father who had multiple strokes and died 7 years ago.
7 looking after my mother, since my father's death, though, I was looking after both of them for the 17 years.
22 years raised my niece cause my sister was in an abusive relationship.
18 years raised my nephew, for the same reason.
All done on a pension and with no help and while being used and abused. No friends, no partner, no children of my own, no work, nothing of my own.
I'm tired.