Dianne | Green Bay, Wisconsin
I am his primary caregiver.
Anita
When Anita’s mother’s health started to decline, Anita retired early to provide her with personalized care. Anita’s mom is blind, has dementia, and is battling three types of cancer in different stages. Melanoma on the bottom of her foot has caused mobility issues and...
Nancy
Nancy began caring for her husband about eight years ago when a routine blood test diagnosed him with early-stage blood cancer. The doctor informed Nancy’s husband that his best hope for longevity was a stem cell transplant, so he went on the waitlist. There was a lot...
Lorraine
Lorraine became the caregiver for her adult niece when she was diagnosed with liver cancer and then hepatic encephalopathy. Her niece’s daughter and ex-husband lived in different states, but Lorraine was only a few hundred miles away, so she traveled to be with her...
Jeanne
Jeanne has been caring for her daughter since she was very young. As a child, a viral infection attacked her daughter’s heart, causing her to need a heart transplant; in 2020 as a young adult, Jeanne’s daughter needed a kidney transplant as well. Jeanne has been her...
Ira
When Ira met his wife, Glenda, she had manageable Type 1 diabetes. Their relationship began as a care partnership, where Ira would attend his wife’s doctor’s appointments and would help her manage her chronic disease. Increasing complications with her diabetes...
Hailey
When Hailey’s daughter was born, Hailey instantly became a caregiver. Upon her daughter’s birth, doctors had to remove about 98 percent of her intestines, and only gave her a few weeks to live. They did not explore any options on how to help her. Hailey and her...
Georgette
A few years ago, Georgette’s sister started experiencing medical complications. While Georgette lived in New York City, her sister and her family lived in Atlanta, where her husband worked. It was decided that the medical complications were serious enough that...
Cody
Cody is a caregiver for his young daughter, who was born eight weeks early with biliary atresia, a rare liver disease. Doctors told Cody and his family that she would eventually need a liver transplant, and in the meantime performed a surgery that was able to delay...
Albert
Albert cares for his partner, who has received a kidney transplant and was undergoing dialysis when he and Albert started dating. Albert knew going into the relationship that he would be a part of his partner’s care team one day. Albert’s partner was able to remain...
Abena
Abena’s husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2013, shortly after she became pregnant with their first child. Her husband lived with his tumor for a little over four years before passing away. Abena did almost everything for him, from managing his medication...
Melanie
Melanie is a member of the Millie Lacs Band of Ojibwe in the Minnesota region. Previously, she cared for her mother, who had dementia and related health conditions, and her sister, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Currently, she cares for her brother, who has...
Hernan
Hernan is a support person for a friend with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease whom he met through his job as a social worker at the Queens Center for Gay Seniors. Hernan does not consider himself a caregiver for his friend but acts more as an individual in a...
Terrence
Terrence was a co-caregiver with his sister for his mother, who had heart disease. When she ended up needing triple-bypass surgery, Terrence moved back to Omaha to help take care of her while she was out of work and needed some help. He was a younger caregiver at this...
TeriLynne
Zuzette and TeriLynne are from the Gila River Indian Community and have cared for their aging parents, as well as their own children, two of whom have chronic conditions. Zuzette is the primary caregiver for her and TeriLynne’s mother, and supported their mother in...
Letty
Letty’s mother, who had dementia, has since passed on, but Letty still cares for her father. Letty herself is suffering from health issues on top of the support she provides to her parents, and finds it difficult to find the time and the ability to travel to and from...
Beth
Beth’s husband was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016. He had surgery immediately upon diagnosis and, due to some complications, remained in the hospital for three weeks, where Beth stayed with him the entire time. Her husband eventually went into remission but...
Jim
Jim and his wife care for their veteran daughter since she was in a car accident while stationed in Italy as an Army Captain. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for almost a year. Their daughter now needs 24/7 care. She has a feeding tube, has...
Laura
Laura spent two years caring for her husband, who was diagnosed with stage IV neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer. They proceeded with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to close off blood vessels in his liver that were feeding the cancer. Her husband then underwent an...
Debbi
When Debbi’s son was born premature and bleeding in his brain, the doctors gave him two weeks to live. Debbi has now been caring for him, along with the rest of her family, for 27 years. Debbi is not a stranger to hardship. Her husband was a career Marine and was...